Sheridan Rose
by JuliaBeth
Summary: This is Sheridan's story of 1971. Chapter Twenty-one is up! Blue and Sunshine talk to Sherri and Precious. Gerry talks to Ray. I suck at summaries. Please read it anyways!!Hope you all enjoy this chapter. Please R&R.
1. Meeting at Camp

Author's Note: This story is AU in that it gives Coach Yoast another daughter and Sheryl a big sister. It also deals with abuse, but in a different way than the other stories.  
  
Disclaimer: The Remember the Titan characters are property of Disney. The way they are depicted in this story are sole based on the fictional Disney characters.  
  
Please Read and Review.  
  
Hope you enjoy.......  
  
  
  
  
  
Sheridan Rose  
  
The Titans had been through hell today, though, at least they weren't running three a day pratices anymore. It seemed like the day would never end, but finally, they were seated in the cafeteria, enjoying thier meal and each other's company.  
  
The coachs were sitting at thier table, when Sheryl came running up to them.  
  
"Coach!!!" She hugged him.  
  
"Hey, Sweetheart," he said, returning her hug. "Here, sit down. Have my dessert." He stood up, giving her his seat. He looked around as if looking for something or someone.  
  
Coach Boone looked up to see another girl, this one older, though with the same unruly, curly, blonde hair and big blue eyes as Sheryl, walking towards them, occasionaly stopping to smile at or say hi to some of the Hammond boys.  
  
"Hey, Alan, Gerry," she smiled as she walked past thier table, and then nodded at the boys she didn't know.  
  
However, unlike Sheryl, this girl was dressed in a pink sundress, white high-heeled sandals, and make-up. Her hair was pulled back and fastened with a pink ribbon.  
  
"Hey, Daddy." She wrapped her arms around his neck.  
  
"Hey, Precious." He hugged her, too. Then pulled away and studdied her carefully. "How are you feelin'?"  
  
"Fine," she answered. She hated that question more than any other in the world. She knew he worried, but she wasn't going to break or anything.  
  
He turned to Coach Boone. "Coach, this is my oldest daughter, Sheridan. Sheri, this is Coach Herman Boone."  
  
"Pleased to meet you," she said, politely holding out her hand. She wasn't too sure about him. She had been away at camp, when it was decided that he was to be Head Coach over her daddy. The news had come as quite a shock, and like Sheryl, she hadn't taken it too well. Only it was the head cheerleader from G.W. that she had taken a swat at, instead of the principal. A punch was more like what she took, and it ended up with both of them doing 20 laps, but no one was going put her daddy down and get away with it.  
  
"Likewise," Boone replied, wondering why she hadn't been around before now.  
  
"Why are you so dressed up?" Bill asked his oldest.  
  
"She's got a date," Sheryl supplied. Now that she had giving Boone her assessment of his camp, she was busy eating a piece of chocalate cake. That was a treat she didn't often get at home.  
  
If looks could kill, Herman was sure Sheryl would have been dead.  
  
"It's not a date," Sheri told her father. "She don't even know what she's talking about. It's just a group thing, with some of the girls from dance class. There isn't even any boys going."  
  
"I see, and what time does this group thing get over?"  
  
"Midnight," she smiled, hopefully.  
  
"Try again," he answered almost before she finished.  
  
"Oh, alright," she sighed. "Eleven."  
  
"Okay," he gave his permission. "How did cheerleading camp go?"  
  
It dawned on Boone that this was why he hadn't seen her before. The cheerleaders had been gone to camp at VSU the two weeks before and didn't get home until after the football team had already left for Gettiesburg.  
  
"Well, we didn't kill each other." That was the best thing she could say.  
  
"That's it?"  
  
"Yeah, pretty much," she shrugged. "We were the only intergrated squad there. How well could it have gone?"  
  
She had a point. Not only did they had to face the prejudices within their squad, but from the other squads too. At least that was one thing the boys were spared.  
  
"I got to run," she announced. She kissed Bill's cheek. "Bye, Daddy." Then she dropped a kiss on Sheryl's curls. "Bye, Sis. I'll be back later to pick you up."  
  
"Be careful, Sweetheart," Bill said as a goodbye.  
  
"Bye, Sheri," Sheryl replied.  
  
"Nice to meet you," Sheri smiled at Boone, before leaving.  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, the boys were having a conversation of thier own.  
  
"Man, who is that?" Louie Lastik asked, turning from his table to speak with Gerry.  
  
"Sheridan Yoast," Gerry answered. "Coach's other daughter. She's our age."  
  
"She must not be as football crazy as Sheryl," Julius commented.  
  
"She's a cheerleader," he replied. "But, she's probably the only cheerleader who knows what she's cheering about."  
  
"What he means," Alan laughed. "Is that she used to kick his butt at football."  
  
Julius cracked up. "You mean to tell me, that Superman got beat by a girl?"  
  
Alan nodded as everyone but Gerry laughed.  
  
"You were getting beat, too, Buddy," Gerry replied, defensively.  
  
"Nope," the smaller boy denied. "I was always smart enough to be on her team."  
  
Petey and Ronnie not getting sufficient answers from the boys at thier table wondered over to the defensive table.  
  
"Is she really Coach's daughter?" Petey asked montioning to Sheridan.  
  
"No," Gerry answered, sarcastically. "He has a really young wife. Of course she's his daughter. Who else would she be?"  
  
"I don't know who else she would be," Ronnie grinned. "But, if she is his daughter, I've got to get to know Coach's family better."  
  
"Good luck melting that Ice Princess," Gerry scoffed, still pissed at Ronnie for kissing him, joke or not.  
  
"Maybe all she needs is a little 'sunshine,'" Petey teased, happy that Ronnie was showing interest in Sheridan. Maybe he wasn't really..., you know, after all.  
  
"Maybe he ain't gonna get the chance to see," Julius said. "Looks like Ray don't need any luck at at all."  
  
Gerry looked around to see Sheri by the door, talking to Ray. He was standing close to her, holding her hand and whispering to her.  
  
Gerry shook his head. He thought she had better taste. Not that he had anything against Ray personally, but he had been friends with him most of thier life and knew Ray didn't always treat girls so well, like he didn't always treat blacks so well. 


	2. Camp's Over

Carol Boone stood with her two girls by her side, watching the two fair-haired girls, playing a few feet away. The older one, a teen, was trying to teach the younger one 'Miss Suzie'.  
  
They must be Coach Yoast's girls, she thought. Whe she had arrived, they had been running around the parking lot in some pick-up game of catch and tackle, laughing as though they were having the time of thier lives. The younger girl had stopped to ask Nikki and Karen if they wanted to play, but her girls, just shook thier heads and stared at her as if she had three heads.  
  
The game had stopped when more people had begun to arrive. The older girl quickly got her sister interested in the quiter game of 'Miss Suzie' and Carol thought Nikki looked tempted to join them, but she wasn't going to invite herself and it didn't look as if they were going to ask her this time.  
  
"Miss Suzie had a sailboat, the sailboat had a wreck, Miss Suzie went to heaven, the sailboat went to hell.....o operator, connect me with number nine, if you disconnect me, I'll kick you behind the refrigerator, there laid a piece of glass, Miss Suzie sat upon it and cut her little as...k me no more questions and I'll tell you no more lies..."  
  
Their song was drowned out by the sound of buses and the boys chanting, "Na Na Na Na, Na Na Na Na, hey, hey, hey, Goodbye."  
  
Sheri caught Sheryl's arm and pulled her to her, hugging the little girl in the process.  
  
"What did they do to them up there?" Fred Bosly asked to no one in particular. "Brain wash 'em or something?"  
  
"I don't know," another man answered, "but they must be high on something."  
  
Sheryl and Sheri rolled thier eyes at each other.  
  
"Try adrenaline," Sheri cracked, but if either man heard, they didn't get it.  
  
Both girls lit up like Christmas trees when Bill stepped off the bus.  
  
"Coach!!!" They took off for him, instead of waiting for him to come to them.  
  
Just out of the way of the others getting off the bus, he dropped his duffel and caught both girls in a big hug. "Boy, I've missed you two." It had only been a week since Sheri had come up to Gettiesburg to get Sheryl, but he hadn't been away from both of them at the same time, for more than a day or two since mthier mother had walked out.  
  
"Missed you, too," they mummered, still hugging him. Sheryl pulled away and grabbed his duffel with one hand and his hand with the other.  
  
"Come on, Coach. Let's go home."  
  
He laughed. "All right, Miss Impatience, I can't say I'm not looking forward to getting home, either." With one arm around Sheridan and the other frimly in Sheryl's grasp, he started to leave, but Boone caught him.  
  
"Coach, I'd like you to meet my wife, Carol," He said.  
  
"Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Boone," Yoast replied, shaking her hand.  
  
"And this," Boone continued, swinging his youngest daughter up into his arms. "Is Nikki, and little Karen." Then to his girls, he said, " This is Sheryl and Sheridan."  
  
"Why are ya'll dressed so wierd?" Sheryl asked and Sheridan cringed when Bill thumped her. She, herself had wondered why they were so dressed up, but was glad she had kept her mouth shut.  
  
"Ow." Sheryl complianed, overexaggratedly rubbing her forearm.  
  
"Look who's talking," Nikki replied, taking in the sight of Sheryl in her blue jeans and t-shirt and Sheri's hot pants and tattered Hammond High football jersey.  
  
"Ow," came her whispered compliant when her mother reprimanded her, now both girls were rubbing thier arms.  
  
"Well, we're just all getting along," Boone replied, tightly.  
  
Sheri didn't get the chance to see what happened next, though. Ray caught her hand and pulled her off to the side.  
  
"Hello, Ray," Sheri replied.  
  
"Hey." He stalled for a minute.  
  
"Did you want something?" She asked. She was getting hungry and that wasn't good.  
  
"Um,, yeah," he replied, trying to play off the unsure angle. "I was wondering, if you might want to go out tomorrow night. Catch a movie or something."  
  
She smiled, "I'd love to, Ray, but I don't think Coach'll let me. I 'magine he's gonna want me to do something with him and Sis tomorrow since we really have been together in nearly three weeks."  
  
"Oh, well, maybe next weekend," he shrugged.  
  
She nodded. "Maybe."  
  
"Well, do you think Coach'll let you talk on the phone?" He asked, flirtatiously.  
  
"I don't know," she replied, flirting in the same manner. "You could always call and find out. That is, unless you are afraid to." With that she walked off to join her family, leaving him staring after her.  
  
He wasn't the only one. Even though Gerry was talking to Julius before leaving, he was watching Ray and Sheri.  
  
Julius followed his gaze until his eyes fell on the two. He didn't see what the big deal was, if she wanted to mess with that jerk, that was her business. Then when she walked away, he saw the back of her shirt.  
  
It dawned on him then. The way Gerry was watching Ray and the 'Ice Princess' remark he had made to Sunshine, started to make since.  
  
Hammond High  
  
42  
  
Gerry was number 42.  
  
  
  
More coming soon, if you all are still interested.  
  
Please review and tell me what you think and what you'd like to see. This is only my second attempt at a Titan's fic. :) 


	3. Mornings

"Get up, Sweetheart," Bill said. He was standing in the doorway of Sheri's bedroom. It was Sunday and she needed to get ready for church. She rolled over and looked at him threw sleepy eyes.  
  
"Okay, I'm up." She mumbled, then immediately closed her eyes again.  
  
He smiled and walked over to the bed. "Sheridan Rose, I said it is time to get up."  
  
Soon she was shrieking with laughter and squirming around, trying to escape his tickling fingers. "Stop! Stop!! I'm up! I'm up!" She protested. She managed to sit up and pull her pillow from behind her. Still laughing she threw it at him. "I'm up."  
  
Tossing the pillow back, he said, "Help Sheryl get ready, please. She's taking a bath right now."  
  
"You go tell her she's got to wear a dress," She replied. "I don't feel like fighting with her about it this morning."  
  
"I told her. You two hurry up." He walked out of the room. Sheri got out of bed and grabbed her robe. Then she pulled a dress out of the closet and laid it on her bed, retrieving heels and hose, she laid them beside it before going to get Sheryl ready. That wouldn't take long. Sheryl wouldn't put up with much fussing over her hair or her clothes.  
  
"Hey, Shortie," she called. "Get out. It's time to get dressed.  
  
A minute later the bathroom door opened.  
  
"Don't call me Shortie." Sheryl, like her big sister, was not a happy camper in the morning.  
  
It took all of ten minutes to get Sheryl in a suitable dress and to get her hair braided. She wasn't surprised when Sheryl put up a fight over putting hairspray in her hair, but Sheri wasn't going to have it come down in the middle of services like last time. After a few minutes of coughing and gagging to show her feelings about the hairspray, Sheryl climbed up on Sheri's bed to watch her get ready for church.  
  
"Coach says you didn't like wearing dresses when you were little, either."  
  
"I didn't, but Mother made me." Sheri answered. She put her hairbrush down.  
  
"She didn't like football, either, did she?"  
  
"No, she didn't. She didn't like Daddy coaching, because he had to work so much, and she definitely didn't like that he let me go to practices, and let me play with Alan and Gerry and the other guys. She said it would make me too unfeminine." Sheridan kept her voice even and her answers neutral. Her mother was not her favorite topic of discussion.  
  
"Was she nice like Daddy?" Sheryl asked. The question brought Sheridan to a halt.  
  
"Your daddy doesn't love you. He only loves those football boys." Her mother's voice taunted her. "He didn't even want you."  
  
No. Mother wasn't nice like Daddy, but she wasn't going to tell Sheryl that. Instead, she replied, "Why the twenty questions this morning?"  
  
"No reason." She jumped off the bed. "Aren't you done yet?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm done," Sheri replied. She stood and took Sheryl's hand. "Come on, let's go see if Coach has burnt breakfast yet."  
  
Sheri walked into Sunday school and took her seat by Alan. He was sitting by a new boy. She could tell they were talking about football. "Hey, Bosly," she said, sliding into her chair.  
  
"Hey, Sheridan," he replied. "This is Sunshine," he introduced Ronnie.  
  
"Sunshine?"  
  
"Well, my real name is Ronnie. Ronnie Bass," Ronnie smiled, holding out his hand.  
  
"Right," she nodded. "You're the second string QB. Coach says you've got quite a throwing arm. Nice to meet you."  
  
"You, too." Ronnie replied.  
  
"So," Alan interrupted. "Did he call?" She had talked to Alan the night before and had told him about Ray.  
  
"No, I think he's scared of Coach," she grinned.  
  
"I'm scared of Coach," Alan joked. "Man, it didn't take long for Boone to recruit him into thier camp of pain. I hurt in places I didn't evn know could hurt."  
  
Ronnie agreed with a laugh. "Me too."  
  
As other teens came into the room the conversation turned from football and camp to busing. Sheridan didn't know how she felt about that subject. She didn't have anything against it, but she didn't think it was going to work. Too many adults were against it. However things went down, she was sure the next day was going to be a messy one. 


	4. First day At T.C. Williams

Author's note: This chapter talks about Boone and Yoast teaching another subject. I don't know if they did or not. I'm just going by the fact that where I went to school, the coachs had to teach at least one other class besides their sport. Sorry, if it is inaccurate. :)  
  
  
  
September 4, 1971  
  
Sheridan woke up early, as was usual for a weekday. She quickly turned off the alarm clock before it got loud enough to wake Sheryl or Coach. She stretched and yawn. It was the first day of school, but that was no reason to slack off on practice. Resisting the temptation to snuggle back under the covers for that extra hour of sleep, she forced herself from her nice warm bed. She pulled on a leotard and threw a sweatshirt over it. After tying her hair back, she grabbed her dance things and went downstairs. Dance lessons were the one thing her mother made her do that she actually enjoyed and the only thing she kept up after her mom walked out. Though at five o'clock in the morning, she could barely remember why she had.  
  
"Get off the counter, Boing-kitty,"the true grouch in her said, setting Sheryl's very spoilt house cat onto the kitchen floor. She filled the perculator with water and coffee grounds then plugged it in so the coffee would be ready when Coach woke up.  
  
She poured herself a glass of orange juice and took it downstairs with her. The basement was her territory. Years before Coach had fixed it for her a practice area. It had a stereo and mirrors and a barre along one wall, and privacy. Everything a dancer needed.  
  
She took a drink of her juice then set it on the table and flipped her radio on.  
  
"Baby Love, my baby love, oh how I need your love..." The Supremes sang as Sheridan slipped on her toe shoes and got to work. She knew the routine well, 20 minutes each, ballet, tap and jazz, then back upstairs to get ready for school.  
  
Coach was at the table with a cup of coffee when she came up.  
  
"Morning, Coach." She paused to kiss him good morning.  
  
"Morning, Sheridan," he replied. "You wearing that to school?" A stuble hint to get dressed.  
  
She looked down at her leotard, as if considering it. "Well, I wasn't planning on, but if you like it, I will."  
  
"Quit being a smartass."  
  
"I can't help it," she grinned. "It's genetic. Where's Sis?" She changed the subject before he had a chance to reply.  
  
"Watching TV. She's been ready for awhile now," he replied. Another hint.  
  
"You remembered that she has to wear a dress this year, right?" In Alexandria's school district, girls were allowed to wear pants until third grade then it was dresses from then on out. Sheryl was starting the fourth grade.  
  
"Yes, I remembered. I am her daddy, you know," he replied. "She threw a fit, but she's in a dress."  
  
"If I know Sheryl, she'll be playing football and showing her panties by recess time," Sheri laughed.  
  
"Nope," Coach grinned. "I thought of that too. I told her to put a pair of shorts on under it. Now, run get dressed. We have to leave soon."  
  
A shower, a dress, and a bowl of cornflakes later, she was ready to go.  
  
Sheryl went to Lakeshore Elementary, just a few block away from T.C. Williams and had to be dropped off first.  
  
"You want me to walk you to your class, Sweetheart?" Coach offered.  
  
"Coach, I'm nine and a half years old AND starting the fourth grade. I'm too old to have my daddy walk me to class." She looked at him like he was crazy for even suggesting it.  
  
"Well, okay if you are sure," he replied, slightly saddened that she thought she was too big to want him to walk with her.  
  
"I am. Bye, Sissy." She gave him a quick hug and waved at Sheridan before running off to join some friends going in the door.  
  
"Bye," Sheridan replied, but she was already gone. "Don't worry, Daddy," she continued as he slid back in the truck. "You can walk me to my class, if you want to."  
  
He laughed and squeezed her hand. "Thank you, Baby."  
  
Sheri didn't know what she expected to see as they neared the school, but it definitely wasn't the sight that met her eyes. Protestors lined each side of the street, and state troopers had to stand between them and the buses and vehicles coming in. They were yelling and waving signs.  
  
"GO HOME!!! STOP THE BUSING!!!!!!!! WE DON"T WANT THEM HERE!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
Her eyes grew wide and she gasped as she heard sweet little churchladies yelling words she knew she'd get her mouth washed out for even thinking about saying.  
  
"Coach?" Her voice sounded small and weak even to her own ears. Suddenly, it didn't seem so silly to have Coach walk her to class.  
  
"It'll be all right, Sweetheart. It's just a bad day, that's all," he tried to reassure her. "Once all the students are inside and classes start, everything will cool down."  
  
She nodded though she wasn't truly convinced.  
  
"Do you have your kit?" He asked. She nodded and held up her purse.  
  
"I never leave home without it."  
  
"And your medicine?"  
  
"I'll take it to the nurse as soon as I get to class. Coach, I have everything I need. I always do," she replied. She knew he just worried about her, but sometimes all his questions got annoying esspecially when her nerves were already on edge. She hoped she had everything, anyways.  
  
"If you need anything, you know where to find me, right?"  
  
Again, she nodded. "Well, see you later." She stepped out of Coach's truck and looked around at all the people screaming and the state troopers and everything. It was scary. She felt afraid to go.  
  
"Are you alright?" Coach asked.  
  
"Um-hum," she answered. "Coach?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I love you."  
  
He smiled. "I love you, too."  
  
"HEY, SHERIDAN!" Alan called her over.  
  
"Bye, Coach," she said as she walked over to Alan.  
  
Alan Bosly had been her best friend for as long as she could remember. She was pretty sure their friendship started in a playpen. Them and Gerry Bertier. The three of them had been practically inseperable when they were little. Sure, she was a girl, but she played kick ass football, so they over looked that one small flaw, and made sure Ray and the other guys did too. But that was before. Now, Alan was still her best friend, but she and Gerry had a rocky relationship at best. She tried not to dwell on it though. Just put the past in its place and move on, that's what she did. Or tried to anyway.  
  
"Man, Alan, this is crazy," she said.  
  
"Yeah, I know. I mean, if all those folks would go away, then things might not be so bad." He agreed, even though his father, who fortunately wasn't one of the protestors, (only becuase he couldn't get away from work), was very much against integrating schools. "Come on. Meet some of the guys. They've all been wanting to meet you since that day up at camp." He laid an arm around her shoulders and led her into the building.  
  
Coach was right, in that once classes go started, there was a peace among the students. An uneasy one, but still a sense of peace. No one was fighting, but they weren't really mixing either. In every class she went to, the blacks sat on one side and the whites on the other, with the exceptoin of the Titans who sat where every they pleased and dared anyone, student or teacher, white or black, to dispute them. That is, until she reached Coach Boone's fourth hour History class.  
  
Caoch Boone took one look at his segregated classroom and using the same tactic as he had with the football team, he placed each student beside someone of a different race. This was how she came to be sitting between Julius Campbell and a girl named Carla Hayes. Alan, whom she would have normally sat beside was across the room, Gerry was a few seats back, and Ray was at the front of the room. Her best female friend, Jennifer Simpson, was a few seats behind Alan.  
  
As Boone passed out books and other first day chores, Julius started talking to Sheridan.  
  
"You're Coach Yoast's daughter, right?"  
  
"Yeah. Sheridan Yoast, but you can call me Sheri. All my friends do." She smiled. He wondered why Gerry had called her an ice princess. She was nice enough to him.  
  
"Julius Campbell. Big Ju." He offered her his hand, and unlike Emma, she shook it.  
  
"Coach says you're good," she said, already knowing football was the best way to get him talking. "You might even make all-american, now that you are in the league to qualify."  
  
"I hope so," he replied. "So, you like football, too?"  
  
"Please," she laughed. "You can't live in my house and not love football. It's unheard of. I'd play, if it was allowed. Sheryl says she will."  
  
"You know what," Julius laughed. "I think she'll do it too. She's a tough little kid."  
  
Sheridan nodded her agreement as a note landed on her desk. She opened it.  
  
Think Coach'll let you go over to Hal's after practice? Just for supper? I'd have you back early. I promise.  
  
Ray  
  
Sheri read the note and quickly responded.  
  
So nice to hear from you, Ray. I had all but given up hope. I guess you were too busy to pick up the phone this weekend. How do I know that you won't get too busy tonight?  
  
Sheridan  
  
She watched his face as he read it. That was definitely not the response he was wanting. He scribbled something else and sent it back.  
  
She read it.  
  
Okay you win. I'll call you tonight.  
  
Ray  
  
Good, then we'll talk about a date.  
  
Sheridan  
  
She sent it back up the row.  
  
"Do you really like him?" Julius asked.  
  
She shrugged. "He's been my friend for a long time. He's okay."  
  
Julius nodded, though he wasn't agreeing. Maybe she did have some icy spots after all.  
  
Sheridan didn't expect to hear from Ray that night, despite what he said. But, then he did. 


	5. Why Did I Skip Breakfast?

It was halfway through the first week of school and there had been no major problems yet. A few arguements, yes, but no real fights and it seemed like the students, and teachers, were starting to get along with each other.  
  
Sheri was sitting in History, listening to Boone lecture on Christopher Columbus. She was resting her cheek against one palm and was staring at the notes written on the blackboard. She silently willed class to come to an end. She had only picked at her breakfast, though she knew how dangerous it was for her not to eat properly, and now she really needed some food.  
  
"Sheridan, tell me where Columbus was intending to reach when he discovered the new world," Boone said, thinking she was daydreaming.  
  
She didn't answer.  
  
"Sheridan!"  
  
Still no answer.  
  
"SHERIDAN YOAST!!" He was practically yelling now. "WHEN I ASK YOU A QUESTION I EXPECT AN ANSWER!"  
  
Julius reached out to touch her and get her attention.  
  
Her hands were shaking and she was taking short shallow breaths.  
  
"Coach, she's sick!" He announced.  
  
"What?"  
  
"She's shaking and don't look too good," Julius explianed.  
  
Knowing what was wrong, Alan shot to his feet and out the door to get Coach.  
  
"Julius," Gerry yelled, trying to get up to them. "Get her purse. She should have some sugar or chocolate in it. Get it and give it to her. Quick!"  
  
Julius hesitated at the thought of going through someone else's property.  
  
"Man, do it! She's diabetic and having an insulin reaction."  
  
At that, both Boone and Julius snapped into action. Julius grabbed her purse and began looking through it. Gerry got to her.  
  
"Sheridan." He placed on hand on her shoulder, and tried to push her chin up with the other.  
  
"Stop it, Gerry, leave me alone." She slapped at his hands.  
  
Boone paid no attention to her fighting. He caught her hands and held them still. "It's all right, Sheri."  
  
"There's nothing in here," Julius said, holding out her purse.  
  
"Uh-oh." Gerry turned pale. He knew she needed sugar and Coach hadn't got there yet.  
  
"I have some candy," Louie offered, holding out a Hershey's kiss.  
  
Boone let go of Sheri's hands to take and unwrap it.  
  
"Sheri, I want you to eat this, you hear." Boone said, sternly.  
  
She pushed his hand and the treat away from her. "I want my Daddy."  
  
"Alan's gone to get him." He hoped. "Now, I'm not having this foolishness. Stop it, right now."  
  
He caught and held both of her hands in one of his, then put the candy in her mouth.  
  
"Sheridan, chew it up."  
  
Boone looked up to see Bill standing behind him. He was never more glad to see any man in his life. He gladly stepped back and let Coach handle this situation.  
  
The sugar began working its way through Sheridan's blood and calming her down, making her more rational. She did as she was told.  
  
"There now," he soothed, rubbing her cheek. "You're alright. Just a little too much insulin that's all. You're fine."  
  
"Is she going to be all right?" Boone interrupted.  
  
"Yes, fine," he answered. "Just go on with your class." Normalcy was very important to Sheridan and he knew she would be embrassed enough already, without seein everyone staring at her. "Please?"  
  
Boone nodded, sensing now wasn't the time to argue.  
  
"Come on, Sweetheart. You need something more than a piece of chocolate in your stomach." He helped her to stand. She was thankful he was holding her tightly. Her legs felt like rubber and the last thing she wanted to do was bust her butt after the scene before, then everyone really would think she was a spaz.  
  
"I'll get her things, Coach," Gerry volunteered, looking to Boone for permission to leave the room, and praying it would be granted. He needed to see for himself that she was okay again. Boone nodded, and Gerry gathered up her books and purse and followed them out the door.  
  
Boone went straight out to check on Sheri when class was over. He couldn't believe he had yelled at her and she was sick. Maybe he was too hard sometimes.  
  
He needn't have worried, though. She was sitting at Yoast's desk, eating lunch and getting a lecture on skipping meals from her Dad. She was mortified. She would never skip another meal when she had school.  
  
"You need to keep sugar cubes in your bag," Boone added. "They work better than chocolate. You should also tell your teacher you are diabetic. It would help in case this happens again. That said, I'm sorry for yelling at you. I really thought you were daydreaming or something."  
  
"That's okay, Coach Boone. Sorry I forgot to tell you. I'm used to everyone knowing already. But how do you know about the sugar cubes?" Sheri replied, thankful for the interruption to Coach's sermon. She had gotten the point.  
  
"My sister closest to me has diabetes," he answered. "She lives a perfectly normal life with it, and if you take care of yourself, you will, too."  
  
"Yes, sir," she smiled.  
  
Part 6 coming soon. For all of those inerest, it will be about Gerry.  
  
Julia 


	6. I Fall To Pieces

"Supper's ready," Sheri announced, walking into the den where Coach was helping Sheryl with her homework. "Come eat it before it gets cold." She walked back to the kitchen.  
  
"Daddy," Sheryl declared. "Sissy sure is bossy."  
  
Coach snikered. "Yeah, sometimes," he agreed. "But she's a better cook than I am, so let's go eat." He playfully swung her up in his arms. "We'll finish this work after dinner."  
  
"Awww. man."  
  
They had just sat down to supper when the phone rang.  
  
Coach got up and answered it. "Hello."  
  
"Um, Hi, Coach, it's Ray, can I.. I mean, may I speak to Sheri?"  
  
Coach sighed. This was the third time this week that Ray had called Sheridan and he wasn't sure if he was too happy about that. Not that he didn't want her dating, he just wasn't to sure about Ray. He had heard somethings that would make any Daddy wary of letting thier little girl go out with him. But, then again, it could all be just gossip.  
  
"One moment." He sat the phone down. "Sheri, honey, telephone."  
  
She walked to the counter and picked it up.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey, beautiful." She heard Ray smile.  
  
"Hey," she replied, in a sweet flirtatious voice. "How are you?"  
  
Coach had to hide his amusement at Sheryl, who was pretending to sick her finger down her throat and make gagging sounds.  
  
"Fine," Ray replied. "I just wanted to hear your voice." He was smooth, she had to give him that.  
  
"That's sweet," she smiled.  
  
Coach pointed at her dinner plate. Yes, she knew they ate supper as a family. He didn't need to remind her.  
  
"What are you doing?" Ray asked.  
  
"About to eat supper, actually. Listen ,you'll have to call me back later, okay? Coach wants me to eat supper now," she said.  
  
"Man, he keeps you on a tight leash," Ray cracked.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Sorry, it was a joke. Did you ask him about Saturday night?"  
  
"Not yet."  
  
"Tell you what. Ask him now, then you can tell me when I call back," he suggested.  
  
"Okay, I will."  
  
"Be sweet, Babe. Talk to you later."  
  
"Yeah, later."  
  
"Bye, Sugar." Ray replied.  
  
"Bye." Sheri returned to her seat.  
  
"Now, can we eat?" Sheryl asked as though they were starving her.  
  
"Amen," Sheryl said, after Coach had said Grace. "Let's eat."  
  
"Why is Ray Budds calling everynight?" Coach asked.  
  
"He likes me," she shrugged. "There's a party Saturday night, out at Brian Dempsey's parent's place on the lake. Ray asked me to go with him. Would it be okay if I did?"  
  
"Is Brian's parents going to be there?" Coach asked.  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
He considered it it for a long few minutes. There really no reason to say no, except a few rumors and what was he supposed to say, "No, you can't go out with Ray because I heard he sleeps around." ? She would think he didn't trust her.  
  
"Please, Coach?" She pleaded.  
  
"Be home by 11."  
  
"Thank you, Daddy." She bounced from her seat to hug him. "Thank you. I really want to go."  
  
"Okay, okay, eat your supper now." He laughed.  
  
After supper, Sheri was washing the dishes when the phone rang again.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Sheri?"  
  
"Yes?" She replied, uncertianly.  
  
"Sheri, it's Gerry."  
  
"I know." She did know, she just didn't know why he was calling her.  
  
"Umm, how are you?" He asked.  
  
"Fine."  
  
"So..., what are you doing?" He stalled, trying not to ask what he wanted to know.  
  
"Washing dishes." She paused, then, "Gerry, what do you want? I've known you long enough to know that you didn't just call me to make small talk."  
  
"Are you seeing Ray?" He blurted out.  
  
"Why do you care who I am seeing?" She had to ask.  
  
"I.., just do, that's all," he answered.  
  
"Well, not that its any of your business, but, yes, I am. We're going to Brian's party together this weekend."  
  
"Sheri, are you sure that's a good idea? I mean, you know Ray, and you know what he wants."  
  
"What he wants? Gerry Micheal Bertier, you had better not be impling what I think you are impling," she snapped.  
  
Gerry cursed himself, this wasn't going like he wanted. Not that he himself even knew how he wanted this to go, but anytime she used his full name, things were not good. "That's not how I meant it," he said, weakly.  
  
"So, what did you mean?" She demanded. "Because it sounded like to me, that you think Ray could only be interested in sleeping with me. I supposed that's all you think about me, huh?"  
  
"Sheridan, that's not fair, that's not what I said, and you know it," he retorted.  
  
"Well, you had to get the idea from somewhere," she replied, trying hard to keep her voice level. How dare he call her and say something like that. Why did they have to fight all the time?  
  
"Look, Ray's measure of girls is three letters high, and we both know what those three letters are."  
  
"Yeah, well, at least he don't lie," she snapped.  
  
He winced. He deserved that. "I just don't want you to get hurt. You deserve someone who's going to love you for who you are, not just because you're are cute and popular."  
  
"You don't want me to get hurt?" She replied, incredulously. "It's a little late for that, ain't it, Gerry?"  
  
When he didn't answer, she continued. "You just worry about that Barbie doll of yours. I'll handle Ray, don't worry yourself about him, or me."  
  
"I'm sorry if I upset you," Gerry said. "That wasn't my intention. Bye, Sheridan."  
  
"Bye." She hung up the phone.  
  
"I love you, Baby," Gerry said quietly, before he hung up, though he knew she had already. If she hadn't have, he wouldn't have had the guts to say it aloud.  
  
Sheridan hung up the phone, determined not to cry. She turned on the radio before sticking her hands in the sink again.  
  
Patsy Cline's voice filled the room. She had to laugh, despite the pain in her chest. Alan and his country music. He had gotten her addicted to it.  
  
"How can I be just your friend?"  
  
That verse was too huantingly similar to what she was feeling, so she snapped the radio back off.  
  
When the phone rang again, she had to wipe her eyes and clear her throat before she answered it.  
  
"Hey, baby."  
  
"Hello, Ray." Suddenly she was less than enthuastic to hear from him.  
  
"So, can you go?" No one got to the point like Ray.  
  
"Yeah, I can go. I have to be home by 11 though."  
  
"Eleven? Really? Why?"  
  
"Yes, eleven, yes, really and because that is when my curfew is," she answered.  
  
"Wow, Coach has really got that overprotective thing going on, doesn't he?" Ray laughed.  
  
"I'd rather he be overprotective, than not protective at all." She wasn't in the mood for his jokes tonight.  
  
"Well, baby, I got to run. I'll see you at school tomarrow, okay?" He said.  
  
"Yeah. Talk to you then," she answered. "Bye."  
  
"Bye, Sugar." They hung up.  
  
Sheri finished the dishes and went to bed, not wanting to talk to anyone else tonight.  
  
Part 7 coming soon  
  
Julia 


	7. Game Tonight

It was the first game of the season, and Sheridan's stomach was filled with butterflies. She was bouncing on her tiptoes, burning off nervous energy, or maybe creating more of it. She wasn't sure which,but she couldn't stand still.  
  
The stadium was a sight to see, with all the white spectators sitting on one side, all the black on the other. She looked for Sheryl. She was probably playing football with some of the little boys. No. There she was, sitting between Mrs. Maria, Coach Tyrell's wife, and Alan's dad.  
  
Sheri smiled politely at Coach Boone's family. Mrs. Boone smiled back at her.  
  
"Come on, Sheri, let's cheer or dance or something," Precious Johnson said. "Everybody's here now."  
  
Sheridan looked at the tall black girl. It was the same girl she had given a bloody lip for talking bad about Coach at camp.  
  
"Okay, what cheer?" She asked.  
  
"Ain't my place to decide, Captian," Precious replied. Sheri knew she was to be Captian of G.W.'s sqaud this year, if it had closed down and she was still sore about losing the position to Sheridan. Oh, well, she had won the position fair and square.  
  
"Okay," Sheri smiled. "Thunderation." Sheri also knew Precious hated that 'childish' chant. "Line up, everybody. 1, 2, 3, 4, Thunder.., THUNDERATION!!! We're from T.C. Williams'..., CONGERGATION!!!, When we meet it's..., DETERMINATION!!! When we beat, it's..., EXTERMINATION!!! Thunder..., THUNDERATION!!!"  
  
The next time she asked Precious her opinion she gave it.  
  
The first touchdown of the night went to Hayfield, due, in part, to Alan blowing his blocking assignment.  
  
"Come on, Alan!" Sheri yelled. "Stick him! I can block better than that!!!!!!! Come on!!!"  
  
Then Petey fumbled the ball and Boone took him out, and Bill put him back in on defense.  
  
"What is he putting him in for?" Sheri wondered, but Petey stuck with #23 and the Titans won the game. Ray invited Sheri to go up to the hill with him and some friends. Seeing that one of the friends was Emma Hoyt, she declined. The last thing she wanted to see was Emma and Gerry sucking face all night. Then Ronnie invited her to go eat with him and some of the guys from the team, but she passed on that one too. She was hot and tired and all she really wanted to do was get out of her uniform and into her pj's. So in the end, she went home with Coach and Sheryl.  
  
Once there, they all stayed up half the night, laughing and talking, and playing games, all to jazzed about winning the game to sleep. Sheryl nodded off somewhere around two thirty. By three thirty, Sheridan was having trouble keeping her eyes open as well.  
  
"To bed," Coach commanded, picking Sheryl up. He held out his other hand to Sheridan and helped her up. After he put Sheryl in her bed, he went to say goodnight to Sheri.  
  
She was already in bed, curled up with a ragged old teddy bear, looking more like seven, instead of seventeen.  
  
"I saw you tonight, at the game," he said, sitting down beside her. "And I was proud of what I saw. You're a good captian. You gave those girls a chance to choose what they wanted to do instead of just doing what you wanted. That's a good thing to do."  
  
"Thanks, Coach," She smiled. "But, when did you have time to see me?"  
  
"I always find at least a minute to check on you and your sister," he answered. "Besides, even when I can't see you, I can always hear your big mouth out there. Yelling over everyone else." He teased. "By the way, I'm sure Alan loved the fact that you yelled out you could block than he did."  
  
"Well, I could have," she laughed.  
  
"Maybe I'll put you in next game then," he replied. "Now, get some sleep." He kissed her on the forehead. "Goodnight."  
  
"Night, Coach." The last thing she saw before she drifted off was her alarm clock reading 3:37. 


	8. Alan, do you know what time it is?!

Saturday app. 6 a.m.  
  
  
  
Sheri was pulled from her slumber by the ringing of the phone. Assuming no one else was awake, she stumbled from her bed to the hall to answer it.  
  
"Hello," she mumbled, sinking down into the chair beside the phone.  
  
"Sheri? Is that you?"  
  
"Alan, if you aren't dying already, I'm going to kill you," she replied. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"  
  
"Hold on, I'll go check," was his response. After a moment of silence, he said, "It's 6:09 and 45, no, 46, seconds."  
  
"So, not funny," she replied. "What do you want?"  
  
"Are you going to Brian's party tonight?"  
  
"Um-hum, with Ray, why? Where you hoping to ask me out?"  
  
"Yuck, you're only like my sister or something," he said. She could almost see him shuddering. The thought made her laugh. "No, I was thinking about asking Annie Bass."  
  
"Then, why are you calling ME at six-oh-nine in the morning??!!! Call Annie!!! She the one you need to talk to! Jeez, Louise!!!"  
  
"Because, I don't know if she can date or not. I mean, they make her go to that all girls school and all, and I didn't want to sound stupid by calling her and asking her out when she can't even date," he explianed. "You're friends, so I thought you might know."  
  
"No, I don't know," she answered. Annie was Ronnie's twin sister, but as Alan pointed out she was made to go Madison academy for girls and the Colonel was even more strict than Coach. "But, I'll find out."  
  
"Are you going to call her?"  
  
"Now?! Alan, it's 6 a.m. She's probably sleeping, like I'd like to BE!"  
  
"No, Alan says the Colonel makes them get up at 5:30 everyday, even weekends."  
  
"Fine. I'll call." It was the only way she was getting back to sleep anytime soon.  
  
"Thanks, Sheri! I owe ya' one," he grinned.  
  
"You owe me a big one," she replied. "Talk to you in a few minutes. Stay by the phone." They hung up and she picked the phone back up and called the Bass residence.  
  
"Hello, Colonel Bass, this is Sheridan Yoast, from church. I'm sorry to call your house so early, but may I speak to Annie?" She could be as polite as pie when she wanted to be.  
  
"Just a moment," he answered.  
  
Five minutes later, Annie picked up. "Sheri? Hey!"  
  
"Hey. Listen, I'm very tired, so I'll get straight to the point. You know about the party Ronnie's going to tonight, huh?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Good. Here's the deal, Alan Bosly wants to ask you to go with him, but, he wasn't sure you were allowed to date," she told the other girl.  
  
"Alan wants to ask me?" Annie squealled.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Of course I can date, and I'd love to go wth him!"  
  
"Great, then be expecting him to call soon. Bye."  
  
"Bye Sheri, and thanks," she bubbled. Sheri secretly thought no one should be that happy at 6:23 and 21 seconds in the morning. It was just wrong.  
  
She hung up and called Alan. "Hey, she can date. Now call her and ask her. She waiting on you. Next time ask her before the day of the party and leave me out of it. I'm going back to bed. Goodnight." She said as soon as he picked up.  
  
"I will. Thanks, Sheridan. Goodnight," Alan said, barely finishing before she hung up.  
  
"Anything wrong?" Coach asked, standing in his doorway.  
  
"No," she shook her head. "I just had to help Alan get a date."  
  
"Alan can't get his own date?"  
  
"Not without my help, I guess," she shrugged.  
  
Coach shook his head. "One day, I'll have to figure out your's and Alan's friendship but not today."  
  
Sheri laughed, as she walked into her room and cloapsed on her bed. Anyone else waking her before lunch was a dead person. 


	9. Little Sisters

Sheri was getting ready for her date with Ray and Sheryl was laying on her bed talking to her.  
  
"Which outfit do you think Ray'll like?" Sheri held up to hangers of clothes.  
  
"I think Ray is a poopiehead, and you should wear what you like," Sheryl answered. She was throwing Sheri's favorite childhood doll in the air like a football, and catching it.  
  
"You drop Cathy and break her record I'll break you," she warned.  
  
"How do you make her talk?"  
  
"Pull her string, Dummy."  
  
Sheryl turned the doll around and pulled the string in her back.  
  
"I love you, Mommy," Chatty Cathy said.  
  
"Stupid doll," Sheryl replied. "She's a poopiehead, too."  
  
"Then put her down," Sheri snatched the doll away and put her up.  
  
"Does Ray know you still play with dolls?"  
  
"I don't still play with dolls," she answered. "You were the one playing with her."  
  
"You do too, When you and Gerry broke up, you held her and cried," Sheryl answered.  
  
"That was different. When you are upset, you hold that ugly, ratty blanket. Same thing."  
  
"My blankie is not ugly and ratty," Sheryl pouted.  
  
"Yes it is. It used to be pretty and pink, now its a pukey gray color and has holes in it." Sheri put her clothes on.  
  
"Like I care what you think. You play with dolls." Sheryl replied. "And Coach is not going to let you wear that shirt."  
  
"He will if he doesn't know I have it on," Sheri answered, pulling another shirt over her halter top.  
  
"I'm gonna tell him." Sheryl hopped off the bed.  
  
"Don't you dare."  
  
"Next time you won't talk about my blankie, will you?" She ran out of the room.  
  
Sheri sighed. Little sister were aggrivating.  
  
She pulled off both shirts and put back on the top one. She would have to do it anyway. She'd get Sheryl back.  
  
When she came downstairs Sheryl had already told.  
  
"Sheri, what do you have on?" Coach asked.  
  
"Just this," she answered. "I changed."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Sheryl made a face.  
  
"Brat." Sheri told her.  
  
"Poopiehead."  
  
"Menace."  
  
"Idiot."  
  
"GIRLS! That is enough."  
  
They stopped glaring at each other and looked at Coach. "Sorry."  
  
"She started it," Sheryl grumbled. "She said blankie was ugly and ratty."  
  
"Well, it is," Coach replied. "But that's not the point. You're sisters, you are supposed to love each other."  
  
"She's being a pest, Daddy."  
  
"Do you want to stay here tonight?"  
  
"No, sir."  
  
"Then not another word."  
  
Sheryl smiled, triumphantly.  
  
"From either of you. If you can't speak civilly towards each other, don't talk at all."  
  
"Sorry, Sheryl."  
  
"Me, too."  
  
"Get ready, Sheryl," Coach said.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"As soon as your sister leaves, we're going over to the Boone's, so we can go over the game films."  
  
"Do I have to go?" Sheryl whined.  
  
"Yes, you have to go."  
  
"But, Coach, Nikki is weird. She doesn't even like basketball."  
  
"That doesn't make her weird, and you are going to behave tonight. Do you understand me?" Coach replied.  
  
"Yeah. I understand." Sheryl pouted again.  
  
"You can take my Barbies," Sheri smiled, knowing Sheryl was going to reject the idea.  
  
"No, thanks. I do not play with dolls." Sheryl stomped up to her room.  
  
Coach looked at the clock. He would be thankful when Ray got there. If Sheri and Sheryl didn't get away from each other, they were going to drive him crazy. 


	10. Gerry and Emma, What?

As soon as Sheri and Ray walked in to Brian's house, her friend Jennifer, appeared and grabbed her hand.  
  
"Can I borrow her just a minute, Ray?" Jenn smiled sweetly. Sheri thought she was almost flirting with him. She gave her friend a dark look then looked at Ray to see what his answer was going to be. Borrow her, indeed!  
  
"That's up to her," he shrugged.  
  
"We'll just be a minute," Jenn promised, already pulling Sheri away.  
  
"Girl, you are not going to believe what happened last night!!! I told you to come with us."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Gerry broke with Emma," Jenn answered.  
  
"What?" Sheridan was dumbfounded. That was definitely not what she was expecting.  
  
"You know she ain't too overly fond of blacks right?" She waited for Sheri to nod. "Well, Gerry was hanging out with some guys from the team, and we pulled up and asked if he wanted to go with us, and it was obvious he didn't want to leave them, but he didn't want Emma mad at him either so he asked us to hang out down there. As IF. Not that I have anything against Julius and them, but Drew and I weren't wanting to walk around town, IF you know what I mean."  
  
Sheri rolled her eyes, she did know what Jenn meant, most kids only went to the Hill to make out. "Go on."  
  
"Anyway, they got in this big discusion about priorities, and she demanded that he choose between her or them, and he chose them." Jenn finished.  
  
"Wow." Sheri looked around. Sure enough there was Gerry across the room talking to Julius, Louie, and Brian. Emma was no where in sight. Brian saw her watching and waved her over. She shook her head. Brian was the only person in school who could throw a party for everyone, no matter what race, and have everyone get along. He was cool with everybody.  
  
Ray and Drew, tired of being ignored by their dates wondered over.  
  
"What are ya'll talking about?" Ray asked, slipping his arms around Sheri's waist.  
  
"Just girl stuff," she smiled up at him.  
  
"Enough said," he laughed. "Come on, let's sit down." He lead her over to a chair and sat down, pulling her into his lap. Drew and Jenn sat down near them. Soon Drew and Ray were discussing the previous night's game. Welcome to fall in Virginia when the only things worth discussing to any boy over the age of 3 were football and hunting.  
  
"Oh, ya'll were totally losing until Coach put Petey in," Sheri said. "And it wasn't just Alan. No one was blocking worth a flip, defensively or offensively. Alan just had the bad luck to be blocking somebody who could actually play." (Remember, Ray was an offensive lineman/ offensive blocker.) Sheri knew she had just insulted Ray and Drew's playing but she didn't care. They weren't going to blame Alan totally. "You've yet to do a halfway decent job of blocking for Rev. How do you expect him to move the ball if he gets tackled before he has the chance?"  
  
"Girl , shut up, you don't even know what you are talking about," Drew snapped. "And what do you care about how we block anyway? Boone loses a game and he's out and Coach is head coach again. Or maybe you like the fact that your daddy has to take orders from that uppity...?"  
  
"Whatever, Drew," Sheri interuptted. "I got to get away from you before I say something I shouldn't." She pushed herself off Ray and walked away.  
  
"That wasn't cool, man," Ray shook his head. "Coach don't take orders and you know it."  
  
Sheri was headed outside when Gerry stopped her. "You alright?" He asked, catching her arm and pulling her back to him.  
  
"Yeah," she answered. "Drew was just being a jerk. I had to walk away before I did something unladylike."  
  
"Ignore him." Brain shrugged. "He gives you anymore trouble and I'll ask him to leave."  
  
"Thank you, Brain, but I am sure that won't be necessary," She said. She smiled at Louie and Julius and Gerry. "Pretty good game last night."  
  
"Thanks," Gerry laughed at her assessment. " Sheri always tells us the truth about football. You were good, too."  
  
"Like, I believe you took your eyes off the field long enough to see that," she laughed.  
  
"Like, I believe he took his eyes off her long enough to see anything else," Julius mumbled to Brian.  
  
"Not since seventh grade," Brian whispered back. "Not even Emma, not really."  
  
"You're good at what ever you try," Gerry shrugged, finally letting go of her. "Maybe we should put you in the game next week."  
  
"I'd be glad to help ya'll out if the Virginia High School Athletics Association would okay girls playing football." She replied.  
  
"Sheryl'll make them," Julius laughed.  
  
"This I know," Sheri agreed. "She says there is no way she is going to settle for being a prissy cheerleader."  
  
"Ray." Drew nodded in Sheri's direction. "I'd worry about that if I was you, more than who takes orders from who."  
  
Ray didn't like the fact that Sheri was talking to Gerry, but he wasn't about to let it show to Drew.  
  
He walked over to her and put his arm across her shoulders. "Sorry, Drew's an idiot," was his idea of an apology.  
  
"I know."  
  
"Come on." Ray pulled her away, almost giving Gerry a victorious smile. "See ya'll later."  
  
"Ray, where are we going?" Sheri asked. "I don't want to talk to Drew or even see him right now. I know he's your friend, but I don't like him."  
  
"Not to talk to him, besides him and Jenn went upstairs." Ray answered.  
  
Sheridan rolled her eyes again. Jenn was going to get herself in trouble one of these days.  
  
"This party sucks," he replied. "Let's get out of here."  
  
"And go where?" She asked. "We can't go back to my house, Coach and Sheryl ain't there."  
  
"I don't know, just drive around or something. There's too many people here." He shrugged.  
  
Sheri nodded. "Okay." She knew she was doing something stupid, but she couldn't seem to stop herself. Besides, what could be wrong with leaving with Ray? He was sober, and she had known him forever. She could trust him. She walked out with him.  
  
Gerry watched the two of them leave, a nagging feeling haunting him. He dismissed it as the fact that he was having to see her with someone else. Ussaully they avoided each other when they were out with someone else. But this time, the feeling wouldn't go away he knew Ray a little too well.  
  
  
  
Author's Note: Please read and review. I wasn't too sure about this chapter, since it sort of veers away from what disney would have done. If anyone thinks I should come up with an alternate chapter, just say so, if not, I'll post the next chapter in a few days. JuliaBeth 


	11. Prince Charming. NOT!!!!!!!

"Ray, baby, are we going anywhere in particular?" Sheridan asked. She wasn't exactly sure where they were, just that they weren't too far from town, headed towards Hayfield. Coach would have a fit if she went to Hayfield without permission. She really wasn't supposed to go anywhere but to the party and back home. Yeah, she knew he was kind of strict, but with half of her mother's family looking over his shoulder waiting for her or Sheryl to get in trouble, he had good reason to be strict.  
  
"Yeah, I want to show you something," he answered. "It's just up ahead."  
  
She nodded.  
  
He pulled down a dirt driveway, and followed it until it came to a clearing around a small pond.  
  
"Where are we?" She had never even noticed the road they were on before, much less knew this place was back there.  
  
"My Grandpa owns this place. Pretty,ain't it?"  
  
"Yeah." It was. It was like something out of Tom Sawyer or some other children's story.  
  
"When I was a kid, he would bring me out here to go fishing and camping, sometimes just to talk. Now I come up here to think and figure things out. It's so peaceful and quiet." He toyed with his class ring.  
  
Sheri couldn't stop the giggle that escaped her throat. The image of a young Ray running around just completed the Tom Sawyer picture.  
  
"What's so funny?" He asked, flirtatiously.  
  
"Nothing." Ray wouldn't understand, and if he did, he probably wouldn't like to be called Tom Sawyer.  
  
"Come on," he hopped out of the truck and grabbed a blanket from the back.  
  
"Okay," Sheridan thought. "If you think I'll believe you ever intended on staying at that party, Mr. Budds, you got another thought coming."  
  
He walked around and opened her door, then after she got out, he walked down to the water's edge and spread the blanket out. "Sit down." He caught her hand and pulled her towards him.  
  
"I'm not sitting down there. There's probably snakes and bugs, and who knows what else down there," she replied, pulling her hand away.  
  
He laughed, "Since when are YOU afraid of bugs?"  
  
"I have never liked creepy-crawly things." She folded her arms across her chest and took a few small steps closer to him.  
  
"Well, I promise not to let ANY creepy-crawly things get to you." He wrapped his arms around her knees, causing them to buckle and her to fall forward.  
  
"Whoops" He caught her and twisted her around until she was sitting beside him. "Now, is that so bad?"  
  
"I'll answer that when I'm sure there are no creepy-crawlies down here," she smiled. It was nice actually, but she wasn't going to admit it. She leaned back on her elbows. "So, Mr. Budds, how long have you been planning this?"  
  
"I haven't been," he fiegned innocence.  
  
"Everybody who believes that, stand on your head," she replied, not moving. "Come on it's all just a little too coincedental. You just happen to have a blanket in the back of your truck, when we were supposed to be going to a party? Come on, I'm not that stupid."  
  
"Okay, okay, " he smiled. "You caught me. I surrender."  
  
She laughed. "So, tell me how many other girls you've brought out here?"  
  
"None," he lied, easily.  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
"What's with the twenty questions?" He asked.  
  
"Nothing, just curious." She looked up and changed the subject. "I love to look at the stars. Don't you?"  
  
"You're prettier to look at," Ray answered. Then he kissed her.  
  
"Ray."  
  
Another kiss.  
  
"Ray."  
  
Another kiss.  
  
She managed to sit up. She put her hands on his chest and shoved him back.  
  
"RAY! STOP! NOW!"  
  
"Sheridan, would you just relax for once in your life? You ain't got to be so good all the time." He caught her hands and pulled them down.  
  
  
  
  
  
Gerry was being no fun. When Ray and Sheri left, his brain left with them. Julius couldn't even get him to hold a conversation for more than a few seconds. Finally, tired of being ignored, Julius said, "Look, Man, if you're that worried about her, then do something about it."  
  
"What do you mean? Go after her?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I can't do that. Man, she on a date. She'll think I'm crazy if I go chasing after her!" Gerry exclaimed.  
  
"Dude, you ARE crazy," Julius replied. "She already knows that, I'm sure, and you'll know that she's okay, and she just might see how much you care about her."  
  
"OR, she could get mad becuase I didn't think she could take care of herself, believe me she's already pretty much told me to butt out. I don't thinks she's going to be too happy to see me," he answered.  
  
"Fine, then why are you so worried about her?"  
  
"If I know Ray, he'll take her somewhere secluded and try to be all over her, and if I know Sheri, she ain't go for it, she'll get mad and at least tell him off, if not more, then he'll get mad, and she'll be walking home. Don't think he wouldn't do it, he's done it before. Not to her, but he HAS done it before." Gerry explianed.  
  
"And you think that she'd rather walk home from God knows where than have you go after her?"  
  
Gerry thinks about this. "She probably would appreciate a ride, IF Ray does what I think he's going to do."  
  
"Do you know where he'd take her?"  
  
"Yeah, I have a pretty good idea."  
  
"Good, then let's go" Julius replied. "And on the way, you can tell me why you ever let her go in the first place."  
  
Gerry rolled his eyes. "How do you know I did?"  
  
"Any fool can see you two have a history," Julius answered.  
  
"Yeah, well that's a long story." He said, heading out to his car with Julius following him.  
  
"Yeah, well, we got plenty of time." Julius slid into the passenger seat and shut the door.  
  
  
  
(Yep. I'm gonna make you wait one more chapter to find that out. LOL. DOn't you just love the rescueing the damsel in distress routine? More coming soon. I promise this time.) 


	12. A Knight in A Shining Camaro

Gerry and Julius rode in silence for about ten minutes when Gerry broke in with, "Sheri and me were a couple since the summer before seventh grade and I asked her if I could kiss her. She said yes, then told me that if I ever told Alan she let me kiss her, she'd knock my teeth out."  
  
"Did you tell?" Julius had to ask.  
  
"Are you kidding? Sheri would have knocked my teeth out! She don't make idle threats, besides I think everyone, Alan included, figured it out pretty soon." Gerry laughed.  
  
"So, why did you break up?"  
  
Gerry sighed. "Sheri is like, this totally awesome dancer, you see?"  
  
"Yeah," Julius said, automatically, though he really didn't see what that had to do with anything. "I've seen her. At pep rallies and games. She's pretty good."  
  
"No, I don't mean that cheerleading junk. She just does that because she can't play football, and that's a way to still be around it, ya' know?" He continued before Julius could speak. "I mean, like real dancing. She's a ballerina and all that. She's taken lessons since, practically forever. When we were little, she was such a tomboy, her mom insisted she take dance to make her more lady like, or some crap like that. I don't really remember."  
  
"Does this have a point?" Julius was tired of trying to keep up. Gerry could sure ramble on when he was trying to avoid answering something.  
  
"I'm getting to that. Anyways, last Christmas she got this audition to this program Juilliard was putting on for young dancers, and she made it. Now, how she ever convinced Coach to let her stay in New York City, alone, for over two months, I'll never know, but she did. So the day after Christmas, she left. We had made this promise to each other, to go out and have fun, and hang out with friends, same as we would if we were together. So, I hung out with Ray and Alan, going to parties and shooting pool down at Hal's, stuff like that. Anyway, everywhere I went there was this girl, Letty, and she would try to hang all over me and stuff, but I would just brush her off, ya' know?"  
  
Julius nodded, now completely lost. The only thing he understood was that Sheri went to New York, and some girl named Letty, tried to put the moves on Gerry.  
  
"I ain't too proud of the next part, so, what ever you think of me, save it, cause I done told it all to myself hundred thousand times since then, okay?"  
  
"Okay," Julius agreed, not too sure he wanted to hear the next part.  
  
"It was about a month after Sheri had left and I was over at Ray's, and his girlfriend came over with her friend,..."  
  
"Letty," Julius finished.  
  
"Letty." Gerry nodded. "Anyways, it didn't take long for Ray and his girlfriend, who's name I can't say, cause you know her, and she's really changed, and I wouldn't want anybody to think bad about her,"  
  
Julius rolled his eyes. At the rate this story was taking he would be an old man before it was over. "Get on with it, man."  
  
"Do you want to hear this or not?" Gerry snapped.  
  
"I'm listening, ain't I? Go on."  
  
"Like I was saying, it didn't take long for Ray, and his girlfriend to forget that Letty and I were even in the room with them, and they were all but,... well..." Gerry faded off.  
  
Julius held up his hand, motioning that he understood.  
  
"Anyway, I got tired of trying to ignore them, and I was pretty sure Letty was tired of it, too, so I asked her if she wanted to go for a walk. Of course she accepted. So we left. We ended up just sitting on Ray's backporch, talking. She asked me if I really loved Sheridan. I told her yes. I did. I do. so she asked me, why? Then she kissed me, and, though for the life of me I can't figure out why, I kissed her back. When I realized what I had done, I stopped. I jumped in my Camaro and took off. I didn't do anything, but kiss Letty, but I felt so guilty. That night, Coach called and asked if I wanted to go with him and Sheryl to see Sheri the next day. I had my mom tell him I was sick. Anyway, to make a very long story, somewhat shorter, Sheri came home in March and everything was fine. No, they weren't fine, but they weren't bad either. Until, one night, I was over at her house, and me and her and Sheryl were watching t.v. and Coach came in the den and told her she needed to go in the kitchen and answer the phone. He had a funny look on his face, but I didn't think anything about it, I just figured it was her mom calling. They didn't let Sheryl talk to her much cause it just upsets her, so I figured that's why he sent her out of the room, ya' know? But when she came back, she was upset, and asked me to go outside with her. She ended up telling me about this guy, Quinten, that she met in New York. She said they went out a couple of times, and obviously, he didn't think it had ended when she left. I kind lost it. I went to yelling at her and she just sat there, cause she thought she deserved it, but truth was, she didn't, I did. Sheri has a temper too, and she will only take so much before she gives some back and after a few minutes, she asked me about Letty. I denied it. I told her nothing happened with Letty. I don't know why I did, except that I was still trying to convince myself it didn't happen. Then she told me that Letty had already told her all about it and Ray had backed her up saying he had seen it. I was caught, so I admitted it. I apologized, like should have in the first place. then she told me she had never done anything more than have dinner with Quinten. She also said that she could have forgiven me for kissing Letty, but she couldn't forgive me lying to her. So, we broke up, and that was that. A few weeks later, she started dating Kurt, and I started dating Emma." Gerry fell silent, the tale now told.  
  
"Man, that sucks," Julius said, after a few minutes. He wasn't about to say it, but he had a feeling Superman had been set up by his so-called friend. "Did you ever try to tell her you still loved her after that?" He had definitely heard that "I did. I do."  
  
"No."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because, Sheri isn't the easiest person to get to forgive you. Once she gets mad at you, she'll freeze you out, anytime you talk about something she don't want to hear." Gerry explained.  
  
"So, that's why you told Sunshine she was an ice princess."  
  
"No," that boyish grin replaced the grim look on Gerry's face. "I told Sunshine she was an ice princess because he had already got the best of me earlier that day. He wasn't going to get my girl, too. Don't repeat that please. Sheri would kill me for calling her that."  
  
Julius couldn't help but laugh too.  
  
  
  
Gerry slowed down as he reached the dirt road Ray and Sheri had pulled down earlier. Much to thier surprise, they could see a figure walking towards them. Gerry stopped and jumped out.  
  
"Sheri?! Are you okay?" He asked as Julius joined them.  
  
"Yes, I'm okay. What are you doing here?!" She demanded.  
  
"Trying to help you out," Gerry replied.  
  
"Oh, really? You wanted to play the knight in shining armor? well, guess what Lancelot? You're about five minutes too late for that," she snapped. "I told you I could take care of myself. I don't need your help. Hello, Ju."  
  
Julius nodded.  
  
"Where's Ray?" Gerry asked. "Did he tell you to walk home?"  
  
"He's back there," she pointed behind her. "Recovering from an unwelcome knee to a very sensitive spot. Give me ride, please."  
  
"Thought you don't need my help."  
  
  
  
"Look, Big Head, just give me a ride, okay?"  
  
"Get in the car," Gerry replied.  
  
"Thank you," she turned to get in the car but Gerry caught her arm and pulled her into a warm embrace. "Are you sure you're okay?" He whispered. She nodded, and hugged him back, glad that she could still count on him, though she didn't like to admit that she sometimes needed even his help.  
  
"I'm fine, Gerry, really. Though Ray may be sing saprano for awhile," she grinned.  
  
Gerry laughed, "You are something else, Sheridan Rose."  
  
  
  
Julius watched the two as he climbed in the backseat and settled in for one of the strangest rides of his life.  
  
"Yep," he thought. "There is definitely hope for these two. We just got to get them back together."  
  
  
  
(There you go, now you know how Gerry and Sheri broke up, but can Julius and the team get them back together? P.S. Brownies to the person who can guess who Ray's girlfriend was!!!! P.P.S. Kora, was that too damsel in distress-ish for you? LOL) 


	13. Crying

The first three, maybe five, minutes of the ride were quiet and peaceful. Then....,  
  
"Why don't you go ahead and say it?" Sheri demanded of Gerry. "I know you want to, so just say it and get it over with!"  
  
"Say what?" Gerry replied, slightly confused.  
  
"I told you so."  
  
"I wasn't going to say that."  
  
"Yeah, right." She scoffed. "I've known you since we were babies. You were going to say it."  
  
"Really, I wasn't," he shrugged.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Really."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"But, since you brought it up, I did tell you so," Gerry continued.  
  
Julius shook his head. Gerry just wouldn't quit when he was ahead.  
  
Sheri turned to look out the window. "I heard you and Emma broke up."  
  
"Did Alan tell you that?" He asked.  
  
"No. You know Alan don't get in the middle of us." It was true. Ever since they broke up, they had put Alan in a hard place, but to his credit, he always managed to find a way to be there for both of them with out being in the middle. "Jenn told me."  
  
"Yeah, I should have known that. I didn't know you cared so much about what I did," Gerry replied.  
  
"I don't."  
  
"Then why did you say anything?"  
  
"Look, just forget it," she snapped. "Just shut up and drive."  
  
"I'm trying to," Gerry replied. "You're the one acting like a baby. You need to calm that hot-headed temper down, cause I really, really don't want to hear it right now."  
  
"Fine."  
  
"You know what....," Gerry started. He was looking at her and not paying any attention to the road. THAT was making Julius very nervous.  
  
"Gerry," he interrupted. "Gerry, man, could you PLEASE drive on your side of the road?" He didn't want to interrupt what had probably been needing saying for six months, but Gerry was going 70 down the wrong side of the road, and he didn't want die tonight.  
  
"Sorry." Gerry swerved back into his lane. "You know what your problem is?"  
  
"No. But, I'm sure you are going to tell me," Sheri answered.  
  
"You cannot stand to be wrong." He replied. "And when you are wrong, you'd rather argue than admit it."  
  
"I do not," she shot back.  
  
"You do too," he laughed. "You're doing it right now."  
  
"I am n..," She paused, then laughed. "I guess I do."  
  
She laid her head against the window. She hadn't meant to be agrueing with Gerry. It just sort of happened and she was talking to keep from thinking. She didn't want to think, because if she had to think, then she would think about what had just happened. She knew it could have been a lot worse and that she was very lucky, but it still hurt that someone she considered a friend, had broken her trust, and quite frankly, it scared her to see that part of Ray. He had actually assualted her. She gently rubbed her wrist. A sob escaped her throat and she quickly wiped at her eyes.  
  
Gerry looked over at her.  
  
"Aw.., man." She was crying. Sheri never cried. "Sher? What's wrong?"  
  
She shook her head. "Nothing, Gerry, just take me home. I want Coach."  
  
He pulled over. "Don't give me that. In seventeen years, I've seen you cry twice. That's more than long enough to know you don't cry about nothing."  
  
He got out and walked around to the passenger side and opened her door. "Come on," he held out his hand to her.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Come here." He caught her hand and gently pulled her out of the car.  
  
"What are we doing? Gerry, please take me home," she cried.  
  
"Shh..," he soothed, holding her against him. "I'm going to. I'm going to. Julius is going to drive, though, and me and you are going to talk. Like we used to. No fighting, just talking, okay?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
Julius had already made the switch without having to be told. He gave her a small smile, and squeezed her hand as she crawled into the backseat. "Where do you live?"  
  
"Crystal Creek Road. The last house, you can't miss it, the road dead ends into our drive way."  
  
"Okay," he nodded. "I know where that is."  
  
Gerry slid in beside Sheri and wrapped his arms around her, holding her as tightly as he could.  
  
She resisted for a minute, then slid her arms around his neck and cried.  
  
"Sheridan, did he..?"  
  
She shook her head. "No, I told you. I kicked him, then I left."  
  
"Then why are you crying so hard?"  
  
"I don't know. It just scared me, I guess. I can't believe I did something so stupid." She replied.  
  
"Shhh..., you are not stupid. You didn't do anything wrong." He kissed her forehead. "Ray did. Calm down. There's no reason to be upset now."  
  
He pulled her closer, if it was possible. He was inwardly seething. How could Ray have pulled this crap with her? She wasn't just some random girl, not that it would be alright then, either. But, she was one of them. He should have had more repsect for her than that. "Shh.., baby, it's okay. You're okay." He kissed her again, this time on the cheek.  
  
She relaxed, finally, and quit crying. She let her arms fall from his neck and snuggled up against him. She realized she loved him. No matter what had happened in thier past, she still loved him. He was always there for her, even when she didn't know she needed him.  
  
He held her hand, gently rubbing it.  
  
She winced and jerked it away when his fingers grazed her wrist.  
  
He pulled her arm back and pushed her sleeve up. There was a bruise already forming there.  
  
"Sheri, what happened to your arm?" He questioned.  
  
"Nothing." That wasn't a complete lie, just not a complete truth.  
  
"That looks an awful lot like fingerprints to be nothing," he replied. "Did Ray do this?"  
  
"Gerry, don't get upset. It don't matter." She answered.  
  
"Yes, it does matter! He hurt you! I'm gonna kill him!" Gerry shot back.  
  
"No. You're going to calm down and listen to me." She replied, more calmly than she felt. "You aren't going to do anything, but let me handle it. Nothing'll come of you losing your temper and going of half-cocked and getting into a fight with him. Nothing but you getting into trouble and probably kicked off the team. Do you want that?"  
  
"I doubt Coach would kick me off for that," Gerry scoffed.  
  
"Coach isn't the one who makes that decision anymore."  
  
"Coach Boone wouldn't either, he's whole deal is respecting people, and Ray disrespected you, if nothing else!"  
  
"Let me handle this, Gerry," she warned.  
  
"You won't handle it. You'll just pretend it never happened and he'll get off again, and he'll do it to somebody else, who may not be as strong willed as you." He replied.  
  
"No, he won't," she tried to convince him.  
  
"Sheridan, he did it to Emma!" Gerry finally exclaimed. "Only, she agreed. So there was never a need to force her."  
  
"I forgot he dated Emma," Sheri said quietly.  
  
"How did you think I knew where you were?" He hugged her again.  
  
"Gerry, just promise me you won't do something stupid."  
  
"I won't," he replied.  
  
"Promise me."  
  
"I promise."  
  
"Okay." She snuggled up against him again. She wasn't completely convinced that he wouldn't go after Ray, but then, she also wasn't completely convinced she didn't want him too.  
  
When they reached her house, Gerry walked her to the door. "Where's Coach?"  
  
"Gone over to the Boone's to go over the game films before they sent them to Herndon," she answered. "He should be home soon."  
  
"You want us to stay until he gets here?" Gerry offered.  
  
"No, that's okay, you couldn't come in anyway, without Coach here. You know that." She replied.  
  
"You sure you'll be okay?"  
  
"Yeah, fine, Coach'll be home any minute. It's already ten and I had to be home by eleven and you also know he's always here when I get home."  
  
"Yeah," he softly laughed. "Well, if you're sure, you'l be okay..."  
  
"I will, I'm fixin' to go call the Boone's and tell Coach I'm home in case he hasn't left yet, then he will come on home," she answered. "Thank you anyway."  
  
He nodded.  
  
She unlocked and opened her door.  
  
Then she called out, "Bye, Julius!!"  
  
He waved at her.  
  
She turned back to Gerry. "Geez," she thought, "even our first date wasn't this awkward." To him she said, "Thanks, for everything,....... Lancelot."  
  
"No, problem." He stared at her for a second longer.  
  
Before she could talk herself out it, she kissed him. Quickly, and more on his cheek, than his lips, but she still kissed him. "Night Gerr."  
  
She went in the house and shut the door.  
  
Gerry walked back out and got in the car.  
  
"What are you going to do now?" Julius asked.  
  
"I'm gonna have a little talk with Ray."  
  
"But you just said, you promised to let her handle him," Julius pointed out.  
  
"No, I promised not to do anything stupid and this, won't be stupid." Gerry corrected .  
  
"Man, I hope you know what you're doing," Julius said.  
  
"Don't worry, I do."  
  
"Good, cause, whatever it is, I'm with you." He continued. "Sheri's my friend too."  
  
Gerry looked at Julius, slightly surprised. He had expected that reaction for Alan, but not Julius. He couldn't believe Julius was eilling to put his football career on the line for someone he had only known a week. He was seeing more and more that Julius wasn't just a good person, he was a good friend.  
  
"Thanks, man, I might just need your help." 


	14. Fighting only causes more trouble

(Thanks to Junior's Princess for her help.)  
  
  
  
"Where is Sheri tonight?" Carol Boone asked.  
  
"She had a date," Coach answered.  
  
"With Ray Budds," Sheryll added.  
  
Coach made a disgusted face and shook his head at that. He didn't know why he had said she could go. He knew better. Oh, well, maybe she wouldn't want to go out with Ray again.  
  
"You hate that, don't you?" Boone laughed.  
  
"N..," he paused, then laughed himself. "Yeah. Is it that obvious?"  
  
"Yeah," Boone grinned.  
  
"Ray is.., I don't know him. As many years as I've been coaching him, I really don't know much about him. I mean, I know Gerry and alan are good kids, and Jacob and Jimmie aren't nearly as bad as they'd like you to think they are, but Ray, he's just mean sometimes."  
  
Boone nodded. He had already made that observation.  
  
********************************************************************  
  
By the time she got to the phone, Sheri had stopped trying to convince herself Gerry wasn't going to go after Ray. She knew him too well. He had a terrible temper when he thought one of his friends had been hurt.  
  
She dialed the Boone's number.  
  
"Hello? Mrs. Boone?" She said as soon as she got an answer. "This is Sheri Yoast."  
  
"Oh, hi," Carol Boone replied, cheerfully.  
  
"Um.., is my Daddy still there?"  
  
"Yes, he is, would you like me to get him for you?"  
  
"NO!" Sheri replied a little too quickly. If Coach knew she was on the line, he would insist on comeing home, and he needed to go and find Gerry and talk him out of doing what ever it was he planned to do. Coach was the only one who could reason with him when he got really mad. "No. Now, I know I have absolutely no right to ask you to get invovled in this, but please don't tell my Daddy I'm on the phone. I.., I need you to tell Coach Boone that something is going on with some of the boys on the team, and there's probably going to be a fight, and him and Daddy, or at least Daddy, need to go to.." She paused. " Oh, where would they go?" She thought frantically. They couldn't go back to the party once they had left, and the pool hall was already closed. The A&W!!! Of course!!! That's where everyone went. "To the A&W and stop them before they get themselves in big trouble." She said it in one breath, then gasped when she was finished.  
  
"Okay, I'll tell him," Carol replied, uncertianly. She had a funny feeling that the trouble had something to do with Sheri. "Hold on."  
  
She went into the front room. "Herman, come here a minute."  
  
She whispered what Sheri had told her.  
  
"Who told you that?" He asked. "Who's on the phone?"  
  
"A reliable source, just trust me, okay?"  
  
"Okay, Momma, I beleive you." He turned around. "Yoast! We got a problem."  
  
"What?" Coach asked.  
  
"Some of our boys are trying to start trouble with each other, downtown.  
  
Coach sighed, "We need to stop 'em before they get themselves into some serious trouble."  
  
"That's what I was thinking. Come on."  
  
"I'll watch Sheryll until you get things settled," Carol offered.  
  
"Thank you, ma'am."  
  
They left.  
  
  
  
*************************************************************************  
  
After they left the party, which wasn't long after they arrived, Alan and Annie, Sunshine, Rev, and Louie went to the A&W for some burgers and fries.  
  
Even though the A&W was a Drive-In, most everyone was out of thier cars, visiting with this person of that one.  
  
Ray and some of his buddies were sitting on the tailgate of his truck.  
  
"Hey," Louie said, walking over to Alan's car. "Didn't he have a date with Sheri?" He pointed to Ray.  
  
"Yeah," Alan answered. "He did." He looked at his watch. "I wonder why he's here. Sheri must have made him take her home. Her cerfew isn't up for another hour."  
  
"Sheri went out with 'him'?" Annie asked.  
  
Alan nodded. "She said she was. I didn't actaully see 'em together, though." He got out, then opened Annie's door for her. "Hey, Ray!" He called out. "Where's Sheridan?"  
  
"Home!" He called back. "She was... too... tired.. to come here."  
  
"Yeah, whatever." Alan replied. To louie and the others he said, "She probably got mad and blessed him out."  
  
"I can imagine," Rev replied. "She seems a lot more refined and enlightened than him."  
  
"A cave man is more refined and enlightened than him," Sunshine laughed.  
  
Ray nudged the boy standing next to him. "Watch this," he whispered. Loud enough for Alan, and everyone else, to over hear, he said, "Yeah, me an' Sheri had us a 'real good time' tonight." He laughed and winked at Alan. "If you know what I'm talking about."  
  
"What?!" Alan whirled around to face him.  
  
"You heard me," he replied, coolly. "Now, 'I' know why Gerry put up with her junk for so long. Personally, I don't why he let that go, except, well, Emma's pretty good herself."  
  
"Ray, you need to shut your mouth before you say something you're going to regret," Alan forced his voice to stay even. "I don't know if you're drunk or stupid or what your malfunction is tonight. But don't you say another word about Sheridan or Emma."  
  
"Gerry was right," Ray continued to taunt Alan. "Sheri's good at EVERY thing she does." He drawed out his words, watching the color rising in Alan's cheeks.  
  
"Shut up!" Alan's fists were clenched by his sides.  
  
"Who's going to make me, Bosley?" He asked, getting in Alan's face. "You? Or maybe your queer hippie friend?"  
  
"I'd be glad to," Sunshine replied, knowing Ray was talking about him. What did he care if Ray thought he was queer?  
  
"No," Alan said. "Ya'll stay out of it. This is my fight."  
  
"Your fight?" Ray scoffed. He looked back at his friends, not caring that not too long ago, he counted Alan among his friends. To his way of thinking, it was Alan who chose the others over him. "This is going to be as EASY and Sheri is."  
  
Alan punched him. Maybe he shouldn't have. The fact that he threw the first punch would be how Ray would eventually get off the hook, but he wasn't thinking about that then. All he was thinking about was shutting Ray up.  
  
Ray tasted the blood in his mouth. He spit, then looked at Alan. "Oh, that's it! You're a dead man!"  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
"Sheri, honey, do you want to tell me what's going on?" Carol asked. "Did I just send my husband and your father into the middle of a racail fight?"  
  
"No, no, it's nothing like that," she answered. "It's just...." her voice trailed off.  
  
"Just what?" Carol voice was soft and full of concern.  
  
"Just Gerry is mad and wants to hurt Ray..."  
  
"Ray?" Carol interrupted. "The same Ray you went out with tonight?"  
  
"Yes, ma'am." Her voice had become small and almost too soft to hear.  
  
"Sheri, did Ray do something to make Gerry want to hurt him?" She chose her words carefully.  
  
Sheri didn't answer right away.  
  
"Are you still there?"  
  
"I d..don't want to talk about it." Sheri hated the wavering sound of her voice.  
  
"Baby, are you crying?" Carol asked. She didn't wait for an answer. Her mother's instinct or maybe woman's intuition knew something was wrong with Sheri. "Are you at home?"  
  
"Yes, ma'am."  
  
"Good, stay right there." She said, then hung up. "Girls!" She called out. "Get your coats."  
  
"Where are we going, Momma?" Nikki asked.  
  
"Nevermind that, just do what I said," she answered. She scribbled off a quick note to Herman. If he did get there in time to stop the fight, then he would aready know the situation. No need for much.  
  
'Herman,  
  
Sheri was the person on the phone. You already know all this. She sounded awful. I went to check on her. Be back soon as possible. Love, Carol.'  
  
She taped it to the door while the girls got themselves settled in the car.  
  
"Sheryll, Sweetheart, tell me how to get to your house."  
  
  
  
**************************************************************************** ***  
  
Gerry and Julius got to the A&W just in time to see Ray hit Alan. Now, they didn't know that Alan had hit Ray first, all they knew was Ray was hitting Alan.  
  
Gerry was out of his car almost before he got it parked.  
  
He reached the two boys who were fighting and grabbed Ray's arm, just a he raised it again. He spun him around gave him a hard shove.  
  
"Alan was in my face, Gerry," Ray said.  
  
"I'm in your face, now," Gerry growled.  
  
"Gerry?" Alan could hardly believe it, where had Gerry come from?  
  
"Stay back, Alan," he said. "He's mine."  
  
Julius pulled Alan out of the way. "Just trust him, man."  
  
Ray knew Gerry knew.  
  
"How could you, man?" Gerry asked. "She's one of us."  
  
"No, she may be one of you, but she was never one of me," Ray answered. "She's just a girl like any other."  
  
"She's our friend, she was your friend too," Gerry continued. "She trusted you, man! How could you do that?"  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about," Ray replied, coolly. "I don't know what she's told you, but I didn't do anything she didn't want at the time."  
  
Gerry looked at Julius. 'I'm gonna kill 'em. I am going to kill him." He looked back at Ray, his eyes dancing with anger. "Tell the truth."  
  
"I ain't afraid of you, Jerry Lewis." He replied, shoving Gerry back.  
  
That was his mistake. Gerry came back with a punch that sent Ray on to the ground. He grabbed him and hauled him back up to his feet. "Tell the truth."  
  
"Get off me!" He managed to break away and hit Gerry.  
  
Gerry hit him again, knocking him to the ground and splitting his lip.  
  
Ray got up and charged at Gerry knocking him down. Soon, both boys were rolling around on the ground, grappling for the upperhand.  
  
***********************************************************************  
  
When the Coachs got to the A&W, there was agroup of kids in the parking lot, and just like they expecting, they were hiding to kids fighting, however when they did managed to part them, they weren't expecting to see the two boys who were fighting. Gerry had Ray pinned down, hitting him.  
  
It wasn't some simple schoolyard fight that was easy to break up either. Gerry and Ray were seriously trying hurt one another.  
  
"Say it," Gerry demanded. With Julius's help, Coach was able pull him off Ray, while Boone pulled Ray up off the ground.  
  
But Gerry wasn't ready to give up the fight, and it was taking all Coach had to hold the grown boy back.  
  
"Gerry, you stop this, right now! You hear me, son?" Coach said, sternly. "Whatever it was, it's over now."  
  
Gerry continued to struggle.  
  
"Gerry, boy," Coach said a little louder. "I'm warning you. Stop this now!"  
  
Gerry's arms fell slack by his sides. When Coach raised his voice, you didn't push any farther.  
  
"You wouldn't say that if you knew why I was fighting," he muttered.  
  
"What's this about?" Boone demmanded.  
  
No one spoke. Gerry and Ray glared at each other.  
  
"You boys can speak up, or we can let the police handle this," he continued.  
  
"Gerry, what's going on?" Coach asked. "Why were you fighting him?"  
  
Gerry didn't care how much trouble he got in to. He wasn't about to tell him why he wanted to kill Ray. That was up to Sheri.  
  
Alan finally spoke up. "Coach, Gerry didn't start the fight. I did. Ray was talking bad about Sheri, and I hit him."  
  
"So, why was Gerry fighting instead of you?"  
  
Alan shrugged. He didn't know the answer to that one.  
  
"Gerry?"  
  
"It's personal. I can't say." He looked into the eyes of the man who was like a second father to him. He prayed Coach wouldn't make him say more.  
  
"Is this over?" Boone asked.  
  
"It's over," Ray muttered.  
  
He looked at Gerry.  
  
"Yeah, it's over," he replied.  
  
Coach let go of Gerry's arms, but he kept a hand on the boy's shoulder. He knew whatever Gery was fighting for had to be important. Ray was one of his closest friends.  
  
"You three," Boone motioned to Gerry, Alan, and Ray. "Will meet Coach Yoast and myself on the field at 3:00 p.m. tomarrow afternoon. We'll have a little job for you.  
  
The three boys in question grimaced. They had already learned that Coach Boone's way of dealing with fighting was to make you to exhausted to fight more.  
  
"Ya'll go home, now," he told everybody.  
  
"Coach, I'm sorry," Gerry said. "But I just can't tell you."  
  
"It's okay, son, just go on home before Jean gets worried about you," Coach told the boy. Sometimes it was creepy how much of Micheal he saw in that boy. He gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Get some rest. I have a feeling you'll need it."  
  
"Yes, sir." Gerry smiled, happy Coach wasn't mad with him. Then he turned serious again. "Coach, you need to go home and check on Sheri." With that he and Julius left. 


	15. Talking, Understanding, and Love

Sheri was sitting at the kitchen table, talking to Carol Boone. In the living room, Sheryl was fast asleep on the loveseat, Nikki was on the sofa, and Karen had curled up in an arm chair.  
  
"Thank you for coming over, Mrs. Boone. I really appreciate it." Sheri said. "I mean, I hate that you had to drive all this way, but I am glad not to be alone."  
  
"No problem," Carol smiled. After seeing Sheri for herself, and asking a few necessary questions, she had decided that Sheri was fine, other than a few scratches and bruises. Physically, at least.  
  
Emotionally, she was scared and hurt, like anyone whose trust had been broken in such a way would have been.  
  
Sheri toyed with the rim of her coffee cup and looked out the window again.  
  
"Your daddy'll be home soon," Carol assured her.  
  
"Yes, ma'am," She replied. "I just hope he stopped Gerry before he got himself in some real trouble."  
  
"Herman said everything was fine, when I talked to him."  
  
"Yes, ma'am." She paused. Then said, "I know that I got off lucky and things could have turned out a lot worse than they did, but I just don't get why he did it. Why did he try to force me to sleep with him? I mean, he's handsome and popular and a star athlete. I know several girls who would sleep with him, right now, if they had the chance, so..." She held up her hands and shrugged. "Did I dress too provacatively? Or was I sending out the wrong signals or something?"  
  
Carol shook her head. "No. You weren't doing any of those things. If you told him no or to stop, then nothing else matters. No is no, stop is stop."  
  
Sheri nodded again, but she didn't look convinced.  
  
"Listen," She continued. "Nothing that happened tonight is your fault. There are some men in this world who think of women simply as things. We all talk alike, think alike, act alike, look alike, because we are things. Things can be owned, and can be dominated, and can be controlled. So that makes us, just things. They believe that it is okay to abuse, assualt, and belittle women, becuase like things, we have no feelings, but those they give us. They think that their bad behavior is thier right, because we have to be kept in 'our place' as second class citizens. It's a hate crime, just like racism. Only worse, because the hatred of women exists in every race, religion, country, culture, and class. Unlike racism, though, it isn't on the front pages of the newspapers, so it very seldom gets called what it is. Hate."  
  
Sheri nodded, again. this time more convinced. It made sense, what Mrs. Boone was saying. Ray was a big racist, so he was probably sexist, too. She smiled. Then she hugged Carol.  
  
Carol was shocked. Sheri was the first white person to ever hug her. But she wasn't to shocked to hug her back. "It's okay, Sweetheart. It's okay to be hurt, and scared, and whatever else you are feeling right now."  
  
"Mad."  
  
"Esspecially mad," Carol emphasized.  
  
Sheri sat back down in her chair and looked out the window, again. "Daddy's here. That was quick. If he was just leaving when Coach Boone called you."  
  
"He's worried about his little girl," She smiled.  
  
"I wish he didn't even know that it all had anything to do with me," Sheri replied.  
  
"Why? Honey, you didn't do anything wrong," Carol insisted. "You have nothing to be ashamed of, or need to hide."  
  
"I wasn't where I was supposed to be," She admitted.  
  
"Well, I don't know your daddy very well, yet," Carol assured her. "But I can already see that won't be the detail he's hung up on. By monday, most of the kids in school are going to be talking about Gerry and Alan and Ray fighting and they're all going to be talking about why. He's gonna overhear from somebody and he needs to already know what really happened, from you."  
  
"Sheridan?" Coach called out.  
  
"In the kitchen." She jumped up from her chair and hugged him as he came into the room. "Daddy."  
  
He hugged her tightly. "Precious."  
  
Carol smiled. That was exactly what she had thought would happen.  
  
"Mrs. Boone." He nodded to her, not quite ready to let go of Sheri yet.  
  
"Hi." She stood to leave. "Now that you're here, I'd better be getting my girls home."  
  
"Here, let me help you with the girls," he offered.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
He gave Sheri another hug, then he helped Mrs. Boone by carrying Nikki out to thier car.  
  
"Come on, Sis," Sheri said, waking Sheryl. "Time to go to bed."  
  
"Is Coach home?" The sleepy little girl asked.  
  
"Uh-huh. He's helping Mrs. Boone take the girls out to her car." She pulled Sheryl to her feet.  
  
"I wanna see him," Sheryl protested.  
  
"You just want to stay up a little longer," Sheri laughed. "You know he'll come tuck you in." Together they climbed the stairs. She helped Sheryl get into a gown and get in bed. "Night, baby." She kissed her forehead, then started to leave.  
  
"Sissie?"  
  
Sheri turned around. "Yeah, baby?"  
  
"Are you really okay?"  
  
"I'm fine, Sweetie. Get some sleep. It'll be time for church before you know it."  
  
"I love you, Sissie."  
  
Sheri smiled. "I love you, too."  
  
She to her room and got ready for bed. She had just crawled under the blankets when she heard Coach talking to Sheryl. She rubbed her sore wrist.  
  
"If you keep running around, playing and rough-housing with the boys, then you are going to get a bad reputation," Arleane Yoast's voice came back to her, scolding her for a rip in her dress when she was nine years old. "That might not mean much to you, now, but it'll stick with you, and hurt you when you're older."  
  
She left not long after that.  
  
Maybe Mother was right. Maybe she had given herself a bad reputation.  
  
"Hey, Sweetheart." Coach was standing at her door.  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Want some company?"  
  
She shrugged.  
  
"Come on, Sheri, talk to me," He said. "You know there ain't nothing you can't tell me. Me and you always talk to each other."  
  
"I know."  
  
He sat down on the bed beside her and pulled her into his lap, like she was a little girl. "Either one of us is getting bigger, or this bed is getting smaller," he laughed, earning a smile from her.  
  
"The bed is shrinking," she replied.  
  
"That was my guess, too." He hugged her up. "Do you want to tell me what happened tonight? Did Ray...,"  
  
"No, Daddy," She interuptted. "No. Listen, we went to the party, just like I told you, but we left. I know I'm not supposed to tell you I'm going somewhere, then go somewhere else, but I did. We were just going to go for a drive, but he took me out to this little place down by the lake that his Grandpa owns and we were talking and he kissed me and I didn't like it. I told him to stop, but he wouldn't. He had my hands, so I couldn't...." she knew he would see her wrist sometime before they healed, so she went ahead and held them up. She saw anger flash through his blue eyes, but he didn't say anything. So, she continued, "So, I kicked him in the one place I knew would stop him, and I got my bag out of his truck and started walking. We were a long ways out of town, going towards Hayfield. Then, there was Gerry. And Julius. Gerry just knew where I was, and he gave me ride home. He saw my arms and got mad and that's why he was trying to hurt Ray. I'm sorry, Daddy. I'm so sorry. Please don't be mad at me."  
  
"Mad? I'm not mad at you, Sheridan," he assured her, placing a kiss on her forehead. "I'm not happy with Ray, but I am definitely not mad at you."  
  
"But, it's my fault," she replied.  
  
"No. No. Who told you that?" He questioned.  
  
"Mother."  
  
"Your mother?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"You talked to your Mother tonight?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then..?" He was confused.  
  
"When I was little. She told me that if I didn't stop running around and playing with boys, then I was going to get a reputation and it would stay with me when I was grown." She explained between sobs.  
  
He sighed. "Sheridan, your mother told you a lot of things that weren't true. That was one of them. You know you don't have a bad reputation. Was that why you didn't want to tell me this?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Listen to me," He replied. "You don't ever be afraid to tell me something. No matter what. You're my baby and I'll always love you, and I'll always be proud of you. But, this wasn't your fault. It wasn't. Please don't cry about this."  
  
She nodded and wiped at her eyes. She wasn't crying because of what happened with Ray, but there was no reason she could see for Coach to know that.  
  
  
  
"Try to get some sleep."  
  
She nodded. "Coach, will you stay here until I go to sleep?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll stay." He replied.  
  
She snuggled up against him. She loved the way Coach smelled like green aftershave, old leather, and fresh air. It was the way he had smelled all her life. There was something comforting and safe about it. It was Coach.  
  
She hadn't slept with Coach since the night her mother had walked out and she decided she was going to start being a big girl, but tonight, tonight she happy to be Daddy's little girl again.  
  
______________________________________________________  
  
  
  
Sheri walked into Sunday school with butterflies in her stomach. Jenn had met her on the front steps of the church and told her everything Ray had said. That was what everybody was believing. The worse part was since she didn't want them to know what really happened, she had to deal with them believing she slept with Ray.  
  
Then she saw Alan. Poor Alan. Both his eyes were black and he had a busted lip.  
  
"My sweet Alan," She pushed back tears again. She knew his face had to hurt, and he was being punished by Coach Boone, and if she knew his dad, things weren't so nice at home either, all for her. "You know Ray was lying, right?"  
  
"Sheri, you know you don't even have to ask me that."  
  
That did it. The tears came again. She was in his arms, the two friends hugging as if they hadn't seen each other in years. 


	16. Something More

{In the beginning of the movie, nineteen year old Sheryl is talking. That is who narrates this story now. So, when every it has narration, it's Sheryl talking.)  
  
Narration: "And so, the first week of T.C. Williams High School had come to an end. I bet all of you think Sheri and Gerry got back together right away, and by the Herndon game, it was his letterman's jacket her pompoms were laying on right? Wrong! You people don't know my big sister very well yet, do you? That would have been easy and Sissie never does things the easy way, but that didn't discourge Gerry. As much as Sheri liked being difficult, Gerry liked being challenged by her."  
  
_____________________________________________________  
  
"I think somebody's waiting for you," Coach said, pointing to where Gerry was leaning against the building next to the teacher's parking lot.  
  
"Yeah," Sheri replied, trying not to smile. "He probably just wants to make sure I'm okay."  
  
"Uh-huh," Coach smirked. "I'm sure that's it. Or maybe he's waiting there for some other reason."  
  
"Daddy, don't be absurd." She hugged him quickly, then hopped out of the truck with an, "I love you."  
  
Gerry smiled as she walked towards him. "Hey, you."  
  
"Hey, yourself." She replied.  
  
"How are you?"  
  
"I'm.., I'm good," She said, honestly. "Not sure for how long, though. Jenn says I'm the talk of the school. Ray's latest conquest. What goes around, comes around I guess. I've talked about other girls, plenty of times. My turn now, I suppose." She rearranged her books to keep from having to look him in the eye.  
  
"Nah, nobody's gonna say anything," He replied. "Besides, anybody who's really your friend already knows the truth anyways."  
  
He took her books, then her hand.  
  
She smiled.  
  
"Come on," He said, encouraged by her smile and the fact that she hadn't snatched her hand away yet. "What class do you have first period?" He couldn't believe he didn't already know that. Used to be, he knew her classes better than his own. He had to if he was going to wlak her to them, then be waiting for her by the door when it was over.  
  
Sheri loved all that old-fashioned, romantic, holding doors and chairs, walk you to class and carry your books type stuff and Gerry loved the smile on her face whenever she saw him waiting for her to come out of the classroom. Of course, this had gotten him quite a few tardies in four and a half years, but it was well worth it.  
  
"Home Ec." She made a face. "It ought to be illegal for them to require girls to take that class. I mean, I don't see them requiring boys to take autoshop or woodworking."  
  
Gerry laughed. "I did take autoshop."  
  
"Yeah, once, this is the sixth year I've taken Home Ec. I know how to take care of a house, it's really not that hard, and I know how to cook, thank you very much. And if I can baby-sit for Sheryl and Clay Micheal at the same time and not kill one of them, then I can handle any kid.  
  
"How is Little Man?" Gerry smiled. He had often 'helped' Sheri babysit those two so Coach and Ms. Truvy could go out.  
  
"Bad as always," She grinned. "Still loves footballs and his little mens. Says I'm his girlfriend."  
  
"Like always," He laughed. More than once Clay had informed Gerry that Sheri wasn't his girlfriend cause she was his girlfriend. At three years old.  
  
"I hadn't seen him in about a month though. Truvy's momma broke her leg, so they been staying with her down in Williamsburg." She explained.  
  
"Oh."  
  
They were at the Home Ec. building. "Here we are." He handed her books back to her. "See ya' after class."  
  
"Gerry, you don't have to walk me to and from my classes."  
  
"I know. I want to." His eyes were twinkling at her.  
  
"Boy, go to class," She laughed, then disappeared inside her classroom.  
  
Jenn cornered her before she even got to sit down. "What's all that about?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Gerry walking you to class, that's what!"  
  
"Just two friends, enjoying each other company and a morning conversation," she replied, coolly. "Nothing more, so make nothing more of it."  
  
"Class," Mrs. Smith annouced. "You all are supposed to report to the gym for a meeting about homecoming. Now your class sponsors are waiting on you, so go on."  
  
Sheri walked intot he gym to see Gerry and Alan had saved her a place betweeen them, just like old times, except now, Julius was on the other side of Gerry and Rev was sitting next to Alan. Blue and Louie were seated in front of them, and Jerry Buck and Kurt Davis was behind them.  
  
When she sat down she realized she was surround by football players. That was exactly like being back at Hammond. But it was more to it than that. They were showing everybody that she belonged to them and nobody had better mess with her.  
  
Ray walked in and glared up at her. Gerry stood up and stepped in front of her, arms folded across his chest. ray looked away and went to join some friends on the far side of the group. He had gotten enough of Gerry for quite some time.  
  
Gerry sat back down. He would have put a protective arm around Sheri, but Alan had beaten him to it.  
  
Usually Sheri would have done gone off on all of them for this protective, gotta take care of you stuff, but today, she was in a very unfeministic mood and was happy to have thier added support and protection.  
  
"Okay, everybody, listen up!!" Coach spoke up, getting everyone's attention. "Homecoming is week after next. Ya'll know how this works, six nominees, then ya'll vote next week and the two with the most votes will be Senior Maid and Student Body Maid. So I need six names and six people to second the nominations, and then we can get out of here. Any questions?"  
  
When there was none, Mrs. Sanford, one of the other two Senior class sponsors, started the nominations.  
  
"Terri Lynn Wyman," someone called out. It was seconded.  
  
"Precious Simpson." Sheri raised her hand to second it. Precious looked up at her, slightly amazed.  
  
"Emma Hoyt." Seconded.  
  
"Nivea Jones." Seconded.  
  
"Sheridan Yoast," Jenn yelled. Precious hand shot up to second it. Sheri smiled at her.  
  
"Christy Buchanan." Seconded.  
  
"Okay," Mrs. Sanford said. "Terri Lynn, Precious, Emma, Nivea, Sheridan, and Christy are the nominees, ya'll vote Monday, so be thinking about it."  
  
Some other things were discussed and when the bell for second period rang they were dismissed.  
  
"Homecoming maid nominee," Coach said, teasingly as he helped her down from the bleachers. "And to think you were my little tomboy who had to be begged, bribed and threatened to just put on a dress."  
  
"Coach," She laughed. "I wasn't that bad."  
  
"You were too, and you know it." He hugged her playfully. "See ya', later, Precious."  
  
"Bye, Coach."  
  
Gerry walked her to Geometry, then to English and American History, both of which they had together. She ate lunch at the teams table, then fifth period was Advanced Chemistry with Alan and Rev.  
  
They all shared a lab table and always managed to find a way to talk to each other.  
  
She was actually listening to the lecture, for once, when Alan's notebook came into her line of vision:  
  
So, what's up with  
  
you and Gerry?  
  
Ya'll back together  
  
Again?  
  
She scribbled back:  
  
We're just friends.  
  
Nothing more. Why  
  
is everyone making  
  
such a big deal of  
  
that?  
  
He read it and rolled his eyes at her. When the notebook came back it read:  
  
He's walking you to  
  
class, carrying your  
  
books, holding your  
  
hand, when you let  
  
him, waiting for you  
  
after class, all of the  
  
things he did when  
  
you were going out.  
  
You do the Math.  
  
She wrote back:  
  
I did the Math and  
  
I'm not sure I want  
  
to go back down  
  
that road again.  
  
Alan's reply:  
  
Come off it, Sheri,  
  
this is me, you're  
  
trying to lie to.  
  
You know you like  
  
Gerry. You just like  
  
giving him a hard  
  
time. He made a  
  
mistake, you did too.  
  
Get over it already.  
  
She read it and wrote:  
  
Maybe I do like  
  
giving him a hard  
  
but you can't say  
  
he don't like it.  
  
Besides I really  
  
don't know if I want  
  
to go out with him  
  
again. It's a lot to  
  
think about.  
  
He laughed, then wrote:  
  
My sweet Sheridan,  
  
you are mean to that  
  
boy, but you're right,  
  
he wouldn't know  
  
what to do, if you  
  
didn't push him. Just  
  
make sure you don't  
  
push yourself right  
  
out of the picture.  
  
Then they were caught passing notes and had to put the notebook up.  
  
Sixth period was cheerleading then school was out for another day. 


	17. Past Sins Make Present Regrets

Charles Sherman stood outside the Coaches' office and knocked on the door. Bill looked up and smiled. "Hey, Charles, come on in."  
  
Charles shook hands with the man who had once been his son-in-law. "How are you, Bill?"  
  
"Good. Have a seat," Bill motioned to the chair across from his desk. "I'd offer you some coffee, but the way Hinds makes it, it'll strangle you." He laughed, happy that the other Coaches were out just then.  
  
"No thanks, I haven't got long. Listen, Eva and I are headed down to William and Mary so I can attend some alumni thing, and we were hoping you'd let us take the girls with us. It's for two days, and I know they'll be missing school if they go with us but we haven't seen them for quite some time and, well, we were hoping you'd let them go anyway. I'd have called and talked to you about it sooner, but, I didn't know until yesterday." He smiled like a hopefully little boy instead of the highly intelligent, successful corporate attorney he was.  
  
Bill laughed to himself. No matter how Arleane treated or rather didn't treat her girls, they had the power to turn Charles into jelly. Then he turned serious again. He thought about Charles's request, and shifted uncomfortably under the man's unwavering stare. It wasn't accusing or even showing any emotion at all, but it made him edgy anyway. He was a very successful football coach who had made a good life for himself and for his girls, so why was it that Charles still had the power to make him feel like a dirt poor nineteen year old farmboy with nothing but a football scholarship standing between him and staying a dirt poor farmboy.  
  
Charles stared back at Bill, praying he would let the girls go. When he had met him, eighteen years before, the man sitting in front of him had been a shy kid, in worn jeans and a Hammond high letterman's jacket that had been taken immaculate care of. Though he was clean and well mannered, it was easy to see the boy didn't have two nickels to rub together. Mistaking not having money, for not having knowledge and the drive and desire to better himself, he immediately decide the boy wasn't good enough for his precious little girl and did everything he could to alienate him. Now the tables had turned and he wasn't so sure it wasn't Arleane who wasn't good enough for Bill.  
  
It was Bill who had put up with Arleane's junk. With her disapproval of him encouraging Sheri to be so tomboyish, with her constantly starting fights about the amount of time he spent at work, or any little small thing, with her jealousy, even with her running around on him but the one thing he couldn't put up with the nasty way she sometimes treated Sheridan. Charles couldn't blame him for that. Anyone could see those little girls meant the world to Bill, and he was a wonderful father. He was the one who had bandaged Bo-Bo's, wiped away tears, kissed away hurts, tucked them in at night, brushed tangles out of blonde curls, and helped with homework, even before Arleane walked out. It wasn't that she didn't love her girls, she just didn't know how to do those things. He had managed to raise those girls better than most kids with a mother and a father and Charles admired him for that. Not that he could tell him that. It wasn't their way. Maybe if he had treated him better eighteen years ago, or even while he was still married to Arleane, they might have had more than a relationship of begrudging respect built on the love for two little girls and the pain caused by another one. Since he hadn't and they didn't, he was left sitting here, asking for permission to see his granddaughters and thanking the good Lord that Bill wasn't petty enough to hold his past sins against him and take them away from him and Eva.  
  
"You know I don't mind you and Mrs. Sherman spending time with the girls," Bill said. "In fact, I wish they could spend more time with you two, but, they do have school. When would you have them back?"  
  
"Thursday evening, Friday morning at the latest."  
  
He thought for minute more before saying, "Sheri has to be in school Friday, so she can cheer at the game Friday night."  
  
"I'll have her here before school," Charles promised.  
  
"Then, I guess I really don't see a problem. Let me call up to the front office and get them to tell Sheri to get her assignments for the next two days and come on out here. Then ya'll can run to the house and get they're things and I'll go to Lakeshore and check Sheryl out so all you'll have to do is stop back by here."  
  
"Sounds good," Charles said, smiling. "But, don't worry about having to get their things. Eva would love to take them shopping to buy some clothes for the next two days."  
  
Bill's smile was polite but forced. The one thing he and Charles had always fought over was him spending too much on Sheri and Sheryl. He believed it shouldn't cost them to see their grandchildren. "That's a nice offer, Charles, but Sheri would have to go get some insulin, anyway. I know she don't have anymore than she needs for today with her."  
  
"Of course." One thing Charles had learned, dealing with Bill as a single parent these last eight almost nine years, was to back off of an idea when it didn't take with the first suggestion. While Bill talked to the secretary in the front office, he sat there trying to figure out how to tell him what else he needed to say.  
  
After a minute, Bill hung up. "She should be out here in just a minute."  
  
Charles nodded. If he knew Sheri, 'a minute' could take anywhere from one to twenty minutes. "There's something else you need to know, Bill." He started. "I heard from Arleane a few days ago."  
  
"Really," Bill tried to keep his voice even, flat, hiding his feelings on that subject, but he couldn't quite cover his anger in the next few words. "Her daughters haven't heard from her in over two years. Next time you hear from her, maybe you could tell her to let them know she's still alive."  
  
"She's in Viet Nam."  
  
"What?" Last time they had heard, she was working at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.  
  
"She's in Viet Nam, working as a nurse in Army EVAC hospital. Apparently, just before the last time you, or I, heard from her, a recruiter had come in to get trained medical personnel to join up. So she did. Said she felt it was her duty to her country. I guess her duty to her daughters isn't as important as that. She wasn't sure how to tell us that she was leaving so, she decided it would just be easier if she didn't say anything at all. Thought we'd all worry less if she just disappeared, again. I suppose that's better than telling us she was in the Army now." There was a bitter pain in his voice. "Anyway, the reason I'm telling you all this, because she still doesn't really want the girls knowing until she's home safe and sound is, her tour of duty is almost up and she wants to come home, back here to Alexandria. Says she wants to be a part of the girls' lives again." He left out her wanting her husband back in the deal.  
  
"She's still their mother," Bill answered. "Nothing that's happened between us will change that. She's welcome to come back and have as much to do with them as they want her to have. But after this length of time, I'm not going to force them to accept her back into their lives."  
  
"No, and I wouldn't expect you to. She made her own bed, but I just thought you should have the head's up, before she just reappeared one day."  
  
"Thank you. I appreciate it."  
  
Just then Sheri appeared in the doorway. "GrandDad!!" She exclaimed, setting her books down and hugging him. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Honey and I wanted to see our girls" He answered, returning her enthusiastic hug. "And guess what? Your Daddy is letting you skip school to go to Williamsburg with us."  
  
"Really? Sheryl, too?"  
  
"Of course Sheryl too."  
  
"Cool." It was too much to hope Sheryl would still be deemed to young to go, so she could go by herself, especially since she was going to see them in Boston, by herself, when she was nine and half. "For how long?"  
  
"You'll be back before school on Friday. But we got to get going if you're going to go."  
  
"Okay." She went around the desk to hug her Daddy. "Tell Mrs. Moncrief that I'm legally checked and not just skipping practice so she won't give me any demerits."  
  
"You have a practice this evening?"  
  
"No, tomorrow," She replied. "But, we're just paining signs, cause Mrs. Moncrief won't be here for us to do it Thursday."  
  
He nodded. "I will. I'm going to go get Sheryl while you go with your grandparents out to the house to get ya'll some clothes, and your medicine. I'll see you when you come pick her up."  
  
"Okay, Coach, see ya in a few minutes." She left with Charles.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Run and go get your sister, won't you, Sweetheart?" Charles said to Sheri as they pulled up in front of the school a second time. He would have gone himself, but he knew Sheri wanted to say good-bye to Bill and he wanted to give the girls time to say good-bye without feeling like they were being rushed.  
  
"Yes, sir," She hopped out of the car and walked into the building just as classes were changing between second and third period.  
  
She was working her way through the crowd when someone grabbed her from behind. She whirled around and nearly fell into Gerry's arms. "You jerk," She laughed, as he caught her. "You scared me."  
  
"Sorry," He grinned.  
  
"Yeah," She was smiling back at him. "I believe that."  
  
He shrugged. "I waited for you, after first period."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot about that. Coach checked me out."  
  
"Yeah, Jenn told me. Its no problem, I was just worried that you had gotten sick or something."  
  
"No, nothing like that," She assured him. "My grandparents just came down. They want to take Sheryl and me to Williamsburg with them."  
  
"Then what are you doing back?"  
  
"Oh, Coach went to get Sheryl from Lakeshore, and now I'm going to go get her, and we'll be gone."  
  
"I'll walk with you," he said. With his arm still around her waist, he led her up to the Coaches' office.  
  
Sheryl jumped up from her seat as soon as she saw Sheri. She ran to her, but was looking past her. "Where's GrandDaddy and Honey?"  
  
"Waiting for us," Sheri answered. They said their good-byes to Coach. "Love you." Sheri hugged him.  
  
"Love you, too, Precious." He returned her hug. "You two behave for your grandparents."  
  
"We will," she promised. "See you Friday."  
  
"All right. Remember..."  
  
"I know," She interrupted. "Call if we need anything and take my insulin. Got it."  
  
"Right." He kissed her cheek. Then he lifted Sheryl up. "You mind GrandDaddy and Honey, and you better mind your big sister too."  
  
"Yes, sir." She smiled, hugging him tightly. "Love you."  
  
"Love you, too." He kissed her as well, then set her down.  
  
As soon as he did, Sheri said, "Let's go, Squirt." She held out her hands to pick up her 'little' sister who almost as big as she was. Sheryl jumped at the chance to have her big sister baby her. She wrapped her arms around Sheri's neck and her long legs around her sister's waist.  
  
"Sheridan, put her down," Coach scolded. "She's half as big as you are, and she can walk."  
  
Herman, who was sitting at his desk grading some papers, laughed to himself, knowing he said the same thing to Nikki about Karen at least a hundred times a day.  
  
"She don't weigh hardly anything," Sheri protested. "I can tote her." Sheryl laid her head down against Sheri's shoulder and smiled at him, happily playing the baby.  
  
"Well, don't keep your grandparents waiting." He knew it wasn't worth arguing about. Then he noticed Gerry leaning against the wall. "Gerry, son, aren't you supposed to be in class somewhere?"  
  
"Um.., yes sir, study hall. I was just...talking to Sheri." He answered nervously.  
  
"Well, I think you'd better just be getting on to class, don't you?"  
  
"Yes, sir. I'm going, sir."  
  
Coach nodded. "Bye, girls."  
  
"Bye." They echoed. They smiled at Herman, who nodded back at them, then walked out. The two men could hear them talking in the hall.  
  
"Want me to tote you, Shortcakes?" Gerry offered.  
  
"Tell him he's got Gerry Bertier-germs and you don't want them," was Sheri's replied.  
  
"You got Gerry Bertier-germs and I don't want 'em," Sheryl repeated, then stuck her tongue out for added emphasis.  
  
Herman laughed. "You know, Coach, that boy is trying awful hard to get your daughter's attention. You shouldn't be so hard on him."  
  
"Keep laughing" Coach smiled. "But just remember, one day your girls will be in high school too, and then some Petey-type boy is going to be following them around, knocking on your door wanting to take them out. Then I'll be the one laughing at you."  
  
Herman just smiled. "No, they'll all be too afraid of me."  
  
"Yeah. You just keep believing that," Coach laughed, neither man realizing that they were slowly paving the way for their friendship to grow.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Gerry walked Sheri all the way out the way out to where her grandparents were waiting. Sheryl immediately wanted down so she could get in the car and hug them.  
  
"So, I'll see you Friday?" He asked. He was holding her hand, again.  
  
"Yeah. We'll either be back late Thursday night or before school Friday."  
  
"Well, see you then, I guess."  
  
She nodded. "Bye, Gerry."  
  
Before she knew what to think or to enforce her 'just friends' idea, Gerry leaned over and kissed her quickly. Just a peck on the lips, but enough to leave her stunned for a moment. "Bye, Sheridan." He let go of her hand and walked off back towards the building.  
  
Sheri stood there watching him, until Sheryl opened the car door. "Let's go, Sissie!"  
  
"Oh! Right!" She shook herself out of her thoughts and got in the car.  
  
"Is that your beau?" Eva Sherman asked her grand daughter/  
  
"Gerry?" She replied with a cool she didn't feel. "No ma'am, he's just a friend."  
  
"Sweetheart," Charles smirked. "No boy would kiss you in front any male relative, unless he was more than a friend, or at least wanted to be."  
  
"GrandDad!!" She blushed.  
  
"Yeah, Grand-Daddy," Sheryl said, thinking she should take up for her sister. Then she started giggling.  
  
"What?" Sheri asked her.  
  
"You got Gerry Bertier-germs now," Sheryl giggled. Then in a sing song voice she started chanting, "Sheri's got Gerry-germs, Sheri's got Gerry- germs."  
  
Sheri sighed and looked out the window. It was going to be a long drive to Williamsburg if Sheryl didn't find something else to catch her attention. 


	18. Thousands of Miles Away, Yet, Closer tha...

Lt. Arleane Yoast sat at the post-op desk at the 121 EVAC hospital catching up on the ever neglected paperwork.  
  
"PFC Robert C. Burton." She said to herself. "Delvynn, Indiana." She filed it, then picked up the next one. "PFC Fredrick James Martin, Alexandria, Virginia." Mindlessly, she started to file it, then stopped. "Alexandria, Virginia?" She looked through the file. Eighteen year old white male. "I'll bet he knows Bill."  
  
She looked at the boy in bed 6. He was tall, well-built, handsome, and awake. She went over to his bed on the pretenses of checking his wounds.  
  
"Hi son, how are you feeling?" She asked.  
  
"Considerin' that I've got a hole in my stomach, and in my leg, I'm doing pretty good," He replied, good-naturedly.  
  
"You're from Alexandria, Virginia, right?"  
  
"Yes, ma'am." He smiled.  
  
"I lived there once too," She told him. "And I'll bet you went to Hammond High."  
  
The smile grew larger, "Yes, ma'am."  
  
"Did you play football?"  
  
He was positively beaming by now. "Yes, ma'am. Three year starting quarterback for Coach Yoast."  
  
"Yeah?" She smiled. "He's a good guy, ain't he?" It had taken her far too long to realize that.  
  
"Yes, ma'am. He bought me my letterman's jacket last year, cause my folks really couldn't afford and I wasn't going to get one. But, that was okay, because it was Sheri that ended up wearing it."  
  
"Sheri? You dated his daughter?"  
  
"For a couple of weeks, after she and Gerry broke up. I even took her to the prom last spring." He replied.  
  
"She's really pretty, huh?"  
  
"Oh, yes, ma'am," he grinned. "If I had my things handy, I'd show you a picture. She's a babe. She's got this beautiful blonde hair, and amazing legs. There wasn't a guy at Hammond who didn't know Sheridan Yoast." Then realizing how that sounded he quickly added, "Not that she tries to attract attention or anything."  
  
Arleane laughed to herself. She wondered if he'd be telling her all this if he knew he was talking to her mother. "What about his youngest girl, Sheryl? Did you ever see her much?"  
  
"Sheryl's a doll," he laughed. "She loves football. Always on the field. So much so most of the guys nicknamed her Coach. She probably knows more about football than Coach does, and doesn't mind telling you what you're doing wrong."  
  
Arleane smiled. Sheryl sounded like her big sister at nine years old.  
  
"Sheri wrote me," He continued. "When all the junk about the head coach at TC came up, that Sheryl was more upset by it than Coach was."  
  
"TC?"  
  
"Oh, yeah. There is no more Hammond or G.W. High schools anymore. They closed them down and made one school, T.C. Williams."  
  
"It's integrated? In Alexandria?" That was something she never thought would come to pass.  
  
"Yes, ma'am, and when the football teams got ready to go to camp the school board made the black coach head coach at T.C. instead of Coach Yoast, even though he was more qualified.  
  
Arleane lost her smile. She knew how much that team had meant to Bill.  
  
"Well, I'm sure, it'll all work out." She adjusted his covers then started to leave.  
  
"Ma'am?"  
  
She turned around. "Yes?"  
  
"Will you come back and talk to me again before I leave?" He asked, shyly. "It was nice to talk about home."  
  
She smiled, "You can count on it, son."  
  
"Who was that?" He asked the young Red Cross girl working near him after Arleane left.  
  
"Oh, that was Nurse Yoast," she replied. "She's one of the best."  
  
"Thanks." Nurse Yoast. So that's why she was so interested in Coach and his girls. She was their mother. Then another thought occurred to him. One that made him blush. He had told Sheri's mom that she was a babe with great legs.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~ Arleane was awaken by someone pounding on her door. "Yes, Corporal?" She yawned, opening up the door.  
  
"Ma'am, PFC Martin died just a little bit ago. He had some internal bleeding and when the docs opened him up, he went into shock. I'm sorry ma'am, but he just didn't make it. Before he went into surgery, though, he said to give you this, if he didn't make it." He handed her a small black case.  
  
She opened it. Inside were several photographs. The top one was of Sheri, dressed in a blue and gold Hammond High cheerleading uniform, with Sheryl standing beside her. Arleane teared up.  
  
"What is it, Lt.?"  
  
"Pictures. Pictures of my little girls," she replied. "My big girls. He was right. Sheri does have great legs." With that, she shut the door, wanting to be alone.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~ "There's a place up ahead and I'm going, just as fast as my feet can fly. Come away, come away, come away if you're going, leave those sinking ships behind. Come on and ride the wind..."  
  
Sheridan, Gerry, and Alan were sitting on Gerry's car, grabbing a bite to eat between school and the Herndon game. It felt good for the three of them to be together again.  
  
When Sheri saw Coach coming towards them, she lost her appetite, her burger turning to sawdust in her mouth. She knew that look on his face and it always came with bad news.  
  
"Gerry, son, turn down your radio," He said, softly. "I need to tell you three something."  
  
Gerry cut the music down but didn't turn it off. "What is it, Coach?"  
  
Bill sighed. This probably could wait until after the game to be told, but he didn't want to take the chance of them accidentally overhearing it at the game. "Freddie J was killed," he said, not knowing any other way to put it. "His parents found out today."  
  
Sheri's lower lip trembled as his words sank in.  
  
"Come here, Precious." He pulled her into his arms. She hid her face against his shirt and sobbed as Gerry and Alan awkwardly tried to fight back their own tears and comfort her.  
  
Soon, Coach was hugging all three of them. Freddie J had always been the fourth in their group, and now he was gone.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~ The game that night was a hard one. Not playing-wise, really. Herndon wasn't that good, but it just couldn't it together.  
  
Julius and Gerry were at odds with each other, and without their leadership, so was almost everyone else.  
  
Sheri really didn't feel much like cheering. She said the words, did the moves, but it wasn't her usual performance. Her heart was just gone. She had even let Precious do most of the leading. After hearing why Sheri was offering her the job for the night, Precious had just smiled sympathetically and nodded that she would.  
  
At half-time, Sheri headed up in the bleachers to find Sheryl sitting next to Coach's lady-friend.  
  
"Ms. Truvy!" The first real smile all night graced her lips. "You're back!"  
  
"Yeah," Truvy Hampton smiled. "Got back today." She stood up and hugged Sheri. "How ya doing, Honey? Bill told me about your friend. Here, sit down."  
  
Sheri sat down at Truvy's feet. "Hi, Mrs. Boone, Nikki, Karen." They were on the other side of Sheryl.  
  
"Hi, Sheri," Carol smiled. "Nice to see you."  
  
"You, too," she replied, then laid her head in Truvy's lap and let her comfort her.  
  
Truvy looked at Sheri's wrist, still bruised from her run in with Ray and shook her head, but didn't say anything.  
  
"Where's Clay?" Sheri asked.  
  
"Spending the night with his other grandparents," Truvy answered. Her husband had died just before Clay, now four, was born. Since he would never know his dad, she tried to let him stay with his grandparents as much as possible. "You all right?"  
  
"Yeah, just sad."  
  
"Well, that's understandable," she replied. "Let me know if I can help you, okay?"  
  
"I will."  
  
Their interaction with each other really shocked Carol. Ever since Sheryl had introduced them, Carol had been betting that Sheri wouldn't be so happy to see Truvy as her baby sister had been. She figured that Sheri would be mistrustful of another woman in Bill's life, especially after the stories Carol had been hearing about the girls' mother. But, like Sheryl, Sheri had been loving and affectionate.  
  
In an almost joyless victory, TC beat Herndon and everyone went their separate ways for that night. 


	19. Babysitting, Phone Calls and Compromises

"Coach!" Sheridan called up the stairs Saturday evening. She had agreed to babysit while thier parents went out to dinner. "Ms. Truvy's here! Get your butt.. I mean, your behind down here before she decides to find someone cuter to dine with!"  
  
She opened the door. "Hey, Ms. Truvy. Hey, Clay, come on in." She stepped aside. "Coach'll be down in just a minute. He's upstairs, seeing about Sheryl."  
  
"What's wrong with her?" Truvy asked, concerned.  
  
"Nothing, but she's a big baby. She wrecked her bike and scraped her hands up a little. Ain't even bleeding much, but you'd have thought she was dying."  
  
"Honey, she's nine," Truvy replied. "Nine-year-olds see blood and they think they ARE dying."  
  
"Hey, Sa-ri," Clay, tired of being left out, said. "I got's a book." He held up a book of fairy tales. "You wead it to me?"  
  
"Later," she promised.  
  
Just then, Sheryl came bounding down the stairs. "Look, Sissie, I got a Band-Aid."  
  
"Eww, gross," Sheri replied, examining her outstretched hands. "That's gonna hurt tomorrow. Take Clay in the living room and watch T.V."  
  
"I got's a book, Sayel," he said, proudly.  
  
"Whoopteedo," she replied, but she did take his hand and lead him into the living room.  
  
"You sure you want to send them off together?" Coach asked, coming down the stairs. "They're probably plotting to overthrow your rules and run wild."  
  
"Probably so. When will ya'll be back?" She agreed, with a laugh.  
  
"Later, tonight," he replied. "Put Sheryl in the tub, so she'll be ready to get dressed for church in the morning."  
  
"Yes, sir. Would you also like for me to get her out?" She questioned, a smirk playing across her lips.  
  
"Cute," he replied, his voice saying otherwise.  
  
"Are you sure you don't mind us going out, while you stay home?" Truvy asked, before thier battle of wits could continue.  
  
"No," she shrugged. "Just cause I don't have a life, doesn't mean ya'll shouldn't have one. But if you two don't leave, now, I will."  
  
"We're going," Coach laughed. "Call us if you need anything. The numbers by the phone."  
  
"I will. Bye."  
  
"Bye, Honey," Truvy smiled.  
  
"Bye, Precious," Coach kissed her cheek.  
  
"GooooddBYYEE!" She shut the door behind them.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~  
  
Sheri was cooking supper, when the phone rang.  
  
"Hello?" She half-expected it to be Coach calling to check up on them.  
  
"Hey, Babe," Gerry replied. "How ya' doing?"  
  
"I'm..., okay. What about you?"  
  
"Okay, I guess," he answered. "I talked to Alan a while ago. He was upset, but he was getting ready to go see that Anna girl. It just kinda don't seem real, does it? I mean, I can't believe that Freddie J is..."  
  
"I know," she interrupted.  
  
"Alan really likes Anna, don't he?" He asked, changing the subject.  
  
"Yeah, I think so," she replied. "And I know she likes him. That's all she talked about when I was over at her house today. Alan this and Alan that. I was like, I've known the boy since we were in diapers, you're not telling me anything new. But, I'm glad they're happy."  
  
"Hmm, me too. So, what are you doing?"  
  
"Cooking supper for me and Sheryl and Clay. I'd offer you some, but you know Coach rules about visitors and no parents around. What are you doing home on a Saturday night?"  
  
"Nothing, really," he admitted. "Just nobody to hang out with. Alan's out with Annie, and Kurt's out of town, and Ray, well, Ray's just out of the question. He's turned into someone I don't care to be around, lately."  
  
"What about Julius?"  
  
"Long story."  
  
"I got time."  
  
"He's all mad, cause he thinks I stood him up the other day, when he asked me down to the 'Berg to play basketball with him and some of his friends."  
  
"Did you?"  
  
"Well,..., yeah but not because I was just too racist to go down to the 'Berg."  
  
"Then why?"  
  
"Cause of Ma," he sighed. "She came home when I was getting ready to go and made it clear that she did not want me going down to the 'Berg, and she does not want to get to know Julius. She also came out with all that if- your-father-was-here crap. Then she said, you are going to church with your mother." He made his voice high and squeaky.  
  
"Stop that, Gerry," she laughed. "Quit making fun of your momma. That ain't funny."  
  
"Then quit laughing." She could almost hear him smiling. "So, anyway, I went to church with my mother to save my sanity."  
  
"Did you tell Julius any of this? Or did you just let him believe the worse?" She asked, even though she already knew the answer.  
  
"No, he wouldn't have listened, if I had. He's all hung up on it being a race thing. Besides, why should I?"  
  
"Cause he's a good friend and you'd like to keep him that way."  
  
"Not if he's gonna get all mad and claim I'm racist everytime I don't get somewhere."  
  
"Gerry, baby, six weeks ago, you were racist," she replied.  
  
"But not now," he defended himself.  
  
"But how's he going to know that, if you don't talk to him?"  
  
"I don't want to talk to him."  
  
"You know what you are, Gerry Bertier? You are a stubborn, pig-headed mule. Why do I bother with you?"  
  
"Cause you love me," he laughed.  
  
"That's debatable," she shot back. "Listen, I've got to go see what my babies are up to. They're being way too quiet to be left alone."  
  
"They're probably out in Coach's office, making a mess again."  
  
"Yeah, I know. I'll talk to you later."  
  
"All right. Night, baby." Gerry replied.  
  
"Goodnight." She hung up the phone.  
  
Much to her surprise, Sheryl and Clay weren't up to any mischief. They were cuddled up in a recliner, reading his book. Sheri smiled. She knew that book of fairy tales was going to capture Sheryl's attention sooner or later. "Supper's ready, you two," she announced.  
  
She picked Clay up and hugged him, then carried him to the table as Sheryl ran ahead to set out the plates and forks. Sheri got them settled at the table, said Grace, then took her plate to the bar. She had a phone call to make before she lost the nerve and chickened out. She looked the number up on Coach's team roster, then cautiously dialed the number, sure that he wasn't home and she was going to get his mother, or worse his father.  
  
"Hello?" A deep voice answered.  
  
"Hello," she said. "May I speak to Julius?"  
  
"Ya' already are," came his laughing reply.  
  
"Oh, sorry, Julius." she replied. "This is Sheri Yoast."  
  
"Hey, girl," he answered wondering why she was calling him. "Why ain't you out with Superman?"  
  
"Mainly, cause he didn't ask me," she shrugged. "But, also becuase I'm babysitting for Coach and Ms. Truvy."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Truvy Hampton. Coach's girlfriend. Since I don't have a life, I volunteered to babysit Sheryl and Ms. Truvy's little boy, Clay, so her and Daddy could go out to dinner," she explained.  
  
"Coach has a girlfriend? All right, Coach," he laughed again.  
  
Sheri giggled. She hadn't counted on Julius being so easy to talk to.  
  
"Well," he continued. "You've only got it half as bad as I do. It's my folks' wedding anniversary this weekend, so I'm babysitting too. My thirteen year-old twin sisters, Jeramishia, and Teramishia, and I done had to run off about five little nappy-headed boys. They way too boy-crazy."  
  
"Nah," she answered. "They're just thirteen-year-old girls. You have any other brothers or sisters?"  
  
"Yeah, a ten year-old brother Alex, who decided to tell our baby sister, Queen, who's three that she could fly if she had a cape on, so I walk in the living room, and she's standing on the top of the bookshelf with a bedsheet tied around her neck fixing to try it. I tell I'm earning my ten dollars tonight. I think I must have been outside my mind to agree to this," he laughed. "And I got an older sister, but I ain't got to babysit her. She's grown and getting married soon. How's your babies doing?"  
  
"Great," she laughed. "They are being little angels, and that's really got me worried. Usually they'd be tearing the house apart. Making me paranoid, dude."  
  
"Maybe they're trying to get your gaurd down," he joked.  
  
"Maybe," she agreed. "Or else, Coach told them to be nice and they're actually doing it. In which case, there must be a full moon. Why don't you call Gerry, and get him to come help you? He's home, and he's actually pretty good at babysitting, considering he's an only child and never had to deal with younger siblings. I'd invite him over here, but Coach doesn't like for me to have company over when he ain't here unless he knows about it beforehand."  
  
"It's a long story," he sighed. "But I don't think he'd come."  
  
"Cause of last night, right?"  
  
"Yeah, and some other things," he replied.  
  
"Last night was a bad night," she tried to explain. "Just before the game, we found out that a very dear friend of ours had been killed in Viet Nam. Gerry was hurting last night. Still is. So am I, and so is Alan. But, unlike me and Alan, when Gerry's hurting, he gets defensive and even downright mean. I'm sorry if he was being rude."  
  
"Man," Julius sighed. "I sure wish I had known that. I wouldn't have been riding him so hard about his head not being in the game. But that don't explain away his being to racist to come down to the 'berg and play basketball with me and some of the other guys."  
  
"Oh," she said, quietly. Gerry was either going to thank her for this, or bless her out for interfering. "That didn't have anything to do with HIM being racist, either. That had to do with his mother being a ...," she paused. "A word I won't say in front of little ears. Don't get me wrong, I love Mrs. Jean. She's a good person, but she used the one thing she knew would make Gerry go to church with her. Guilt. And she probably didn't even do it purposely. But it still worked."  
  
"Guilt?"  
  
"Yeah, about his daddy being dead. You see, Gerry thinks it's his fault. So, any mention of Mr. Micheal, and he'll do whatever you want just to get you to shut up."  
  
"Why would he think its his fault his dad died?" Julius asked, wanting to know more about the boy he still hoped to be friends with.  
  
Sheri sighed, "You remember the '69 championship game?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I watched it on tv. Ya'll were playing in the snow and sleet. I remember thinking how glad I was that we weren't in the playoffs that year. Ya'll won, didn't you?"  
  
"Uh-huh. Anyway, we were sophmores, and Gerry was a starter. Only sophmore starter on the team that year and you know how big a deal it is to be a sophmore starting in a championship game. Mr. Micheal was away on business, and told Gerry that he might not be able to make it back to town in time for the game. Well, Gerry threw a fit, cut up something awful, and just acted like a royal brat. To make a long story short when his flight was canceled, due to the weather, Mr. Micheal rented a car to drive in. He had a wreck down in Richmond, and ...and.. didn't make it." She stopped to collect her own thoughts, and steady her voice. She glanced at Sheryl to see if she had been listening, but she was busy trying to make Clay eat with his fork instead of his fingers. Then she continued, "Gerry's got it into his head that if he hadn't acted the way he did and made Mr. Micheal promise to try and get back, then he would have waited out the storm and would still be here. We all know that he wouldn't have, that wasn't the way he was. If hadn't thought he couldn't make it home, he would have tried it. No matter what he promised Gerry. But nobody, not even Coach can convince him of that. He doesn't..., when Mrs. Jean started all that "if-your-father-stuff," he went to church with her, just to shut her up, so he wouldn't have to hear someone talking about his dad."  
  
"Why didn't he just tell me any of this stuff?" Julius asked.  
  
"Cause he don't tell anyone anything about his daddy," she replied. "Too painful or something. I know it because I knew Mr. Micheal. Him and Coach were best friends from like grade school or something and Gerry and me have known each other practically from birth. I lived it with him."  
  
"Coach and Mr. Bertier were friends?"  
  
"Good friends. Always together. Always. Like me and Gerry and Alan."  
  
He remembered Coach telling him that he knew friends didn't come easily, but he had figured it was just talk, but he did know what it was to suddenly lose your best friend. He also remembered how quick Gerry had changed the subject when he had asked him about his dad during Coach Boone's forced getting to know each other. He had just taken it for Gerry's not wanting to talk to him.  
  
"Look," she said, when he didn't say anything. "I ain't trying to tell you that Gerry ain't got his faults. He's a stubborn, pig-headed mule, and he can be full of himself and cocky as all get out. If somebody had told me six weeks ago, that he would have become friends with you or Petey or Blue, I'd have been the first to say they were crazy. But he is trying to change and be a good guy. I think that you'll be throwing away a great friendship if you don't try to fix it. I told him all this too, but he's all messed up in the head right now over Freddie J. Besides, like I said, he's a stubborn, pig-headed mule."  
  
"So, what you're saying, is that I have to make the first move," he replied.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Can I ask you something?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Why are you telling me all of this?"  
  
"Cause I'm a nosey friend who would hate to see ya'll waste a good thing," she answered. "Call him up and invite him over. I'm almost positive he'll come. If he don't you can be mad at me too."  
  
"Okay, okay," Julius said, finally. "I'll try it on one condition."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"That you take some advice from me, as well."  
  
"Shoot."  
  
"Give Gerry a break and go out with the boy. He's crazy about you. All he ever talks about is Sheri-this, and Sheridan-that."  
  
"Really?" She was surprised, but happy to hear that.  
  
"Would I lie to you? Listen, I'm gonna be the nosey friend now and tell you, you're throwing away a good thing too."  
  
"I know, I know, you sound just like Alan. I'm crazy about Gerry, too. It's just..., I don't want to lose him as a friend again, if it don't work out."  
  
"Give him a chance, girl. You didn't lose him last time, or he wouldn't have gone chasing after you and Ray the other night. Trust me, I'm a guy, I know these things."  
  
Sheri laughed, "I'll think about it."  
  
"You do that," he replied. "Hold on."  
  
She laughed as she heard his muffled voice. "No, Queen, you can't talk. I ain't talking to Reesa. I ain't talking to Petey, either. Go play with Jerri and Terri." Then to her, "Sorry 'bout that. My baby sister thinks I can only talk to Kareesa on the phone. Kareesa or Petey."  
  
She giggled, "Who's Kareesa?"  
  
"Kareesa Randall. My girl," he explained.  
  
"Does she go to TC?" She couldn't remember seeing him with any girl she didn't know.  
  
"Nah. She graduated from GW last year. She's going to UV this semester."  
  
"An older woman? You go, Julius."  
  
"Yeah," he laughed. "I can't wait for her to come home, so she can meet ya'll. She's great."  
  
"I'd like that," she paused for a minute, then, "Julius, I really glad the schools intergrated. Otherwise, I'd have missed a great friend."  
  
He smiled, "Thanks, Sheridan. I would have too. So, do we have a deal? I'll make amends with Superman, if you consider going out with him."  
  
"It's a deal," she happily agreed. "Thanks for hearing me out. I appreciate it."  
  
"No problem. Thanks for calling me," he replied.  
  
"Anytime."  
  
"I'm going to hold you to that, okay?"  
  
"Okay," she smiled again. "Talk to you later, Ju."  
  
"Night, Sheri."  
  
They hung up.  
  
"Oh, you were talking to Julius," Sheryl giggled.  
  
"Took you that long to figure that out?" She replied, knowing Sheri was up to something. "Go take a bath."  
  
"I'm going to tell Gerry," Sheryl answered in a sing-song voice.  
  
"So, tell him. See if I really care," she shot back.  
  
"I will." Sheryl danced out of the room, sing that she was going to tell Gerry with every step. 


	20. Mondays, Darling Mondays

Sheridan's face lit up with a smile when she saw Gerry waiting for her at school Monday morning. She quickly kissed Coach before hopping out of the truck and walking over to Gerry. "Hey, you."  
  
"Hey, yourself," he smiled. Then he hugged her. "Thank you."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For being a nosy friend," he replied.  
  
"Yeah?" She teased. "Remember that next time you think I'm being too nosy."  
  
"Ten minutes," he paused. "Shouldn't be too hard to remember for that long."  
  
She rolled her eyes, and crossed her arms.  
  
When he moved to put his arm around her, she suddenly lunged forward and pushed him. Hard. "You.., you.., Goobie."  
  
Caught offgaurd, he stumbled and fell flat on his rear end. "Oh, that's it," he grinned. "I'm gonna get you!"  
  
"Gotta catch me first!" She took off running while he scrambled to his feet.  
  
"Come back here, Sheri Rose!" He called running after her.  
  
Sheri dodged between two cars, pausing to catch her breath before she answered, "I ain't stupid, Gerry. I ain't about to go over there!"  
  
Coach just smiled as he watched them play like seven year-olds instead of the nearly grown young adults they were. "Ya'll be careful!" He called out.  
  
"Yes sir," they replied in giggling unison.  
  
Sheri ran towards the kids gathered around the front entrance of the school. Seeing Alan, she laughed, "Alan, help me, help me, help me!" She grabbed his arm and turned him around between her and Gerry.  
  
"What?" A confused Alan asked.  
  
"Stall him," she commanded. "Louie, whack him with that big book you got there."  
  
"Alan!" Gerry yelled out. "Hold her, man!"  
  
"Sheridan," Alan laughed. "What did you do now?"  
  
"Can't talk," she answered. "Gotta run. Literally."  
  
"Alan, man, I told you to hold her here," Gerry said, catching up to them.  
  
"No way, Dude," Alan scoffed. "I have better sense than that. She fights like a tiger and kicks harder than a mule. You want her, then you catch her. Oh, and if I was you, I'd be getting away from Louie right now. Sheri told him to whack you with his History book."  
  
"If she comes back this way please stop her," he replied before continuing the chase. "Sunshine! Petey! Catch HER!" He pointed at Sheri.  
  
Sheri looked up, just as Petey grabbed her and attempted tp hold her still. "Let me go, Petey," she warned. "I promise you don't want to get into this!"  
  
"I got her, Superman," Petey replied. "Now, what?"  
  
"Hold her!" He commanded.  
  
She wiggled and pushed, trying to escape, and she was harder to hold onto than Petey had imagined.  
  
"Stop all that 'fore you injure me," he laughed.  
  
"I'm gonna do more than injure you," she shot back. "I said LET ME GO!"  
  
He grinned at Gerry who was now stading behind her. "Okay, lady." He let her go and she stumbled back into ... Gerry's arms.  
  
"Gerry." She looked up at him.  
  
"Hi," he smiled. "I caught you."  
  
"You cheated."  
  
"You did too," he smirked, knowing that he had won this round. Then he kissed her, earning whistles and catcalls from those around them. He pulled away and smiled a lazy smile. "That'll teach you to go around pushing people."  
  
"I didn't push you, "she replied turning her nose up in the air. "I shoved you. Big difference."  
  
He just winked at her and let her go, laying one arm across her shoulders before they got a PDA warning.  
  
"That is soo disgusting," Emma said, as she watched them, turning her own nose up.  
  
Letty Morris rolled her eyes and snapped her compact shut. "You didn't think it was soo disgusting when it was you he was kissing."  
  
"Not that!" She snapped. "Sheri letting that Petey-boy grab all over her."  
  
"Oh, get real, Em. You couldn't care less what Sheridan is soing or not doing. All you care about is Gerry Bertier, and the fact that he ain't buzzing around you anymore. Which I might add, is your own fault. I tried to tell you, guys don't like ultamatums, but you wouldn't listen. It's your own fault! I don't see what the big deal is about him, anyway. His ears are too big."  
  
"They are not. I think his eas are cute. But, I will admit that our break- up was my fault," Emma shrugged. "But, it's one I plan to correct very quickly."  
  
"Uh-huh, and just how do you plan on doing that? In case, you ain't noticed, he's practically attached himself to Sheridan again."  
  
"You'll see," she smiled. "I got him once, I can do it again."  
  
"Yeah, well, just don't expect me to interfere again." Letty went back to touching up her make-up.  
  
A few feet away, Precious Johnson turned around and looked at them. Had she heard them right? Was that little Miss Perfect actually scamming on Sheridan? BOy, did she have something to share this afternoon.  
  
Caoch watched the outcome of thier chase from the side-entrance steps.  
  
"You know, Bill," Richard White, a science teacher that was known to be very racist, said, stopping beside him. "If one of those black boys grabbed my daughter, my white daughter, like that..," he shrugged. "Well, I'd make sure he knew not to do it again."  
  
Coach was unsure of what he should say. He could defend Petey, but a guy like Richard, wouldn't even hear it much less listen to it. After a pause, he replied, "You know Richard, I'm kind of confused, what color is your other daughter? Purple? Green? Blue? What?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You said, 'my white daughter'. I was just wondering what color the other daughter was, if she wasn't white, too," Bill explained.  
  
"You know very well what I mean."  
  
"Yes, I do," he turned serious. "And if you ever say anything else to or about my daughter about who she choose to be friends with, or one of our boys either, then you will be the one I make sure doesn't do it again. Good day, Richard." He turned and walked into the building, leaving Richard White standing there speechless. 


	21. Old Friendship sometimes die in the Face...

"Hey, Sheri, can you and Precious help us out a minute?" Blue asked, approaching the cheerleaders before football practice.  
  
"Uh, sure," Sheri replied, not having any clue what they would both her and Precious for. "Precious!" She called the other girl over.  
  
"What?" Precious asked, wiping yellow paint from her hands.  
  
"Blue?" Sheri turned it over to him and Sunshine.  
  
"Well, we, some of the guys, were wondering if you could like teach us a.., a.., cheer or something we could say before the uh.., games, to, like boost team spirit or something," Sunshine responded. "But nothing to girly, or anything."  
  
Both girls looked at each thier minds turning in the same direction for once.  
  
"Not to girly, huh?" Sheri smiled. "Precious? Any ideas? All I'm coming up with is Go, Fight, Win."  
  
"Nah. What about Everywhere We Go?" Precious replied.  
  
"Yeah!" Her eyes lit up. "Listen," she told them. "Ready?"  
  
Precious nodded.  
  
"Everywhere we go-oh," Sheri started.  
  
"Everywhere we go," Precious echoed.  
  
"People want to know-oh."  
  
"People want to know."  
  
"Who we are.  
  
"Who we are."  
  
"So we tell them."  
  
"So we tell them."  
  
"We are the TITANS!"  
  
"We are the TITANS!"  
  
"The MIGHTY, MIGHTY titans!"  
  
"The MIGHTY, MIGHTY titans!"  
  
"Ooh, ahh, oh yeah, Ooh, ahh, oh yeah," the said together, twisting and moving with the words.  
  
"Now that's cool," Blue admitted. "But, ain't no way I'm doing what ya'll were. If we moved like that, people would think we were...," he looked at Sunshine. "Well, you know what I mean."  
  
"Sissie's?" Sheri laughed. "Meet us in the gym before school and we'll have come up with something less girlie. Okay with you, Precious?"  
  
"I can't get to school before my bus," she replied. "But, I'll come when I get there."  
  
"Okay, it's settled then," Sheri announced. "And I think Coach Boone is looking for you." She nodded across the field.  
  
"Oh, man," Blue moaned as they took off for thier places before Boone and Yoast got to them.  
  
"Do you think he's really..., gay?" Precious asked, looking at Sunshine.  
  
"Nah," she shook her head. "You know Rae Kelly?"  
  
"Yeah. She was the one who was going around to all the camps and stuff this summer writing for the paper."  
  
"Right," Sheri nodded. "Anyway, he has a crush on her. I think she likes him too, but she's being a hard-headed mule, and her brother, BJ is being a horse's hind end, making the problem worse. But that's besides the point. The point is, Sunshine ain't gay. He only kissed Gerry to embarass Gerry in front of the team, cause Gerry embarassed him in front of his dad. And if you knew the Colonel, then you'd know that's a big deal to Sunshine."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sheri sat outside the field house, waiting for Gerry to come out. They were supposed to go out to eat with everyone after the game. Sheryll had went home with Truvy, and Coach was inside the field house, calling the hospital trying to find out something about Rev.  
  
Poor Rev. Sheri couldn't believe he had gotten his wrist broke. If Ray had been blocking like he should have it wouldn't have happened. Maybe Ray did on purpose. She rubbed her wrist, that still bore ugly green fading bruises. Ray was horrible sometimes. She sat on a table and leaned back against the wall, waiting.  
  
It wasn't long before the doors swung open and guys started pouring out, all talking and laughing, heading off in groups towards the parking lot. She smiled to herself as a group of freshman were still singing, 'we are the titans'. She didn't see Gerry leaning against the wall on the other side of the door for a few minutes.  
  
She started towards him when Ray came out. Something caused her to pause. She didn't mean to overhear them, but she couldn't help it.  
  
"Ray," Gerry said, stopping him. "You're out."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You're out. I'm not gonna let you play for this team anymore." Gerry looked so sad.  
  
"Oh, yeah, Jerry Lewis," Ray scoffed. "Going to go and tell Coach Coon what to do again? But then he is your daddy now, ain't he?"  
  
"I know you missed that block on purpose, Ray," Gerry tried to explain. "I gave you a chance to straighten up. What's with you lately, man? Grow up! Things have got to change sometimes. That means you too. Why can't you just accept that you have to go to school, play football, hell, share this world with guys like Petey? He is a great guy, but you never tried to see that. You have got to quit treating people the way you do, or you're going to get hurt. Bad."  
  
"You're will to throw away our friendship for them?" Ray asked.  
  
Gerry paused, trying to come up with an answer.  
  
"You can have 'em." Ray started to walk off.  
  
"You threw away our friendship," Gerry replied, quietly.  
  
"What?" Ray turned back to face him.  
  
"You threw away our friendship when you hurt Sheri." He said, louder.  
  
Ray kind of smile, though it was a nasty smile. "It always goes back to her with you, doesn't it? She just a girl, man, there ain't nothing special about her. Just another girl, like any other."  
  
"You know, you need to start treating girls better, too," Gerry replied, refusing to give in to his bait.  
  
"Oh, now, you're telling me how to treat girls? That's good. But, then you know all about hurting Sherri, don't you?"  
  
"You know, you're just lucky I didn't tell Coach what happened the other night," Gerry shot back. "I don't think he'd have been so quick to stop me then. He'd have killed you himself."  
  
"Ain't nobody out here to stop you now," Ray answered. "Bring it on if you think you're man enough."  
  
Gerry started towards Ray.  
  
Sherri realized Gerry was going to hit him. "Gerry, no!" She caught his arm and tried to pull him back. He didn't even seem to notice her.  
  
At the same time, Julius and Blue left the locker room. It took only a second for Julius to see what was going on. "Superman, he ain't worth it." He caught Gerry and pulled him back. "He ain't worth it."  
  
Gerry stared at Ray then looked down at Sherri, who was now in front of him with her hands on his chest. She was shaking her head no. He pulled his arms away from Julius and hugged Sherri. "Get out of here, now!" He said to Ray. "Before I change my mind."  
  
"You can have her," Ray smirked. "Every knows she little tramp, just like her mother, anyways." Then walked away.  
  
Gerry started after him again, but Sheridan was still in front of him. "Let him go, Baby," she said. "I know no one really thinks I'm a tramp. It was the 'just like her mother' part that hurt." She smiled up at him.  
  
He looked as her as if trying to decide is she was serious, then smiled, too. Sherri's feelings about her mother was well known to Gerry and Alan, and Rae. "Let's get out of here y'all. I'm starved." 


End file.
